The Phil
by Cymbidium
Summary: Erik is a reclusive composer in San Francisco and Christine is a senior in college. Erik has been watching her for four years but must now make his move before she graduates and disappears forever. Modern day.
1. The Phil

The Phil

The Phil

By Cymbidium

A Phantom of the Opera Fan Fiction

© 2006

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but I do own The Phil.

Author's Note: This is my first attempt at fan fiction. This story takes place in San Francisco, but the city and geography have been fictionalized for the sake of the story. I welcome _constructive _criticism and suggestions, but will not accept flames because I don't believe they serve any useful purpose. If you'd like a reply, please email me. Many thanks to my story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1

The Phil

Christine and Megan were power-walking their way to the Bay Area Cultural District, which was a good hour away on foot. Arms pumping rapidly, they had to get to the world-renown San Francisco Philharmonic while the sun lasted, which was always an iffy proposition in the land of the Golden Gate.

"This is so exciting!" Christine huffed as they trudged through Chinatown on their way to the Music Center. "It seems like I've been trying to see this forever, but I never get there at the right time!"

"I honestly don't know anyone who's been as dead-set on seeing this thing as you," Megan said as she dodged a couple of slow-moving pedestrians. "If we don't see it this time, I seriously think we're going to have to get some inside help."

The San Francisco Philharmonic was renown for its outstanding talent to be sure, but Christine's focus was on the beauty and design of the building itself. Designed by an anonymous architect, it was said that looking upon the building was like seeing magic performed as images would suddenly emerge from the myriad decorative details etched on its walls, arches, and alcoves. For those fortunate enough to see it, their reaction would not only be surprise, but awe for the work of this unknown genius.

After the better part of fifty minutes, they finally reached the Phil, and their first stop was the water fountain, and then a seat on a bench across the courtyard from the Phil, facing its enormous and meticulously designed façade. They stared at it expectantly, not certain of the images that were to appear or when they would, but keeping their fingers crossed that today was the day they'd be rewarded.

As they stared raptly, not moving, Christine was suddenly interrupted from her concentration by a slight movement in the shadows of the very alcove she'd been staring at for the past few minutes.

"Did you see that?" she asked as she reached over and touched Megan's arm. She didn't want to look away for fear it would disappear.

"See what?" Megan looked at her and then craned to see what Christine was pointing at.

There was a darker shadow there than there should have been, and she could have sworn she'd seen a flash of white, but it'd been too high up to see clearly. Not seeing anything now, she thought perhaps it was just wishful thinking. "Nothing," she said, disappointed. "We'd better head back while the sun lasts."

They took another quick sip from the water fountain before retracing their steps out of the courtyard. It would take the better part of an hour to walk back to Chinatown.

As they left the courtyard, there was a gentle sigh that escaped from one of the alcoves above the square.


	2. The Lecture

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author Notes: Special thanks to my story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 2

The Lecture

It had been awhile since he'd been out to see the city on a bright and cloudless day like today. It was actually quite a change since he preferred the customary overcast.

"Come on, Erik, we have to finish the overture. We only have two days!"

_Oh, no, not now._ Erik backed into the alcove a little further. This was one of his favorite hiding places when he wanted to get away for a few minutes from his 'job' as the resident composer. But he knew that Amir was just trying to do his own job. He wondered if his friend would find him this time.

Erik didn't hear his voice or footsteps any longer, so he relaxed slightly and turned his attention back to the square below and to the sea of humanity beyond.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were deliberately hiding from me so you wouldn't have to finish the piece. You know very well it'll be _m__y_ blood if it's not done," Amir stated flatly, almost directly behind him.

Erik almost started. Amir was definitely getting better. He was usually able to hear the Iranian coming from thirty feet away, but perhaps it was because he'd been so distracted by the sightseers today, or one in particular.

"You know very well it's already done, old man." Erik turned and looked at him. "I just wanted to hear it one more time." Although Amir was just a couple years older than his own thirty-four years, it was just another one of the many names he called his close friend and colleague. "Besides, it's too nice a day to stay inside."

"Did you see her again?"

"Yes." Erik had known about Christine since she had first competed for the music scholarship three years ago. He had, after all, been the deciding vote on the panel of judges on the scholarship committee. He had never heard such purity in a voice, but at the same time, he had known even then that it was also more than that, much more. And so since then, he'd kept up with her progress, attended her recitals and performances in secret, and sometimes even followed her from the shadows for hours when he would see her visiting the Philharmonic. "She was with her friend this time. She may have seen me."

Amir raised his eyebrows. "So what are you going to do?"

"Go back to work."

Besides the agreeable weather, San Francisco was a vibrant city making great strides in the arts and sciences, and Erik had always longed to be at the forefront of such endeavors. His chance had come twelve years ago when he still lived in France. He was a graduate student in architecture when he learned of an international design competition to design an opera house in the city of San Francisco in the United States. The city was on the cusp of a cultural revolution of sorts and the judging committee wanted a world-class performing arts center that would not only be a showcase for the arts, but would also play host to the world's political and cultural leaders.

He won the design competition of course. Despite the unheard of precedent of remaining anonymous, his designs had raised a furor. They said his designs were revolutionary, and the opera house was constructed within a year. This, of course, rendered him ridiculously wealthy and he relocated permanently to San Francisco.

_

* * *

_

_Six Months Later_

Christine had reached the steps of her apartment building just as the sun had ducked behind the clouds and the cold autumn winds were already making their way through the narrow side streets. Christine climbed the stairs up to her apartment on the second floor and unlocked the door. It was an amazing stroke of luck that she'd found a reasonably priced apartment in a city known for its outrageous housing costs, and an absolute miracle that she'd gotten a part-time job at Madame Wu's Antiques, which she lived directly above.

She turned on the light as soon as she walked in the door, and her Siamese immediately trotted out in greeting. "Pinecone, you stupid cat, how was your day? Any good messages for me?" She turned on her answering machine as she kicked off her shoes and hung up her coat, and then she checked her e-mail. Nothing but ads.

"Hi, Christine? It's Megan. I just wanted to remind you about the lecture tomorrow at Livingston Hall. Did you still want to go? We don't have to, but it's extra credit. It's supposed to be about nouveau music or something. Talk to you later."

Megan was her best friend, but they were practically sisters since they'd known each other since childhood. She either saw or spoke to her almost every day at school, but they kept in touch frequently and Megan and her mother were now her only family.

The next two messages were from salespeople, and then the fourth was the one she was waiting for.

"Hey, sweetheart, it's me." _It was Rick._ "It's Friday finally, and I just wanted to make sure if we were still on for our movie night. I just picked up the new one we talked about and I can bring over some dollar Chinese, unless you wanted to go with pizza. Give me a call, okay? I love you, babe."

Rick de Chagny was her boyfriend of two years. They had met during one of her class field trips to the Philharmonic. He was one of their young executives, but that wasn't surprising considering his family was one of the major patrons of the opera house. They were well known for their philanthropy, and Rick was the second in line to head the family's empire, his older brother Philip being the primary heir apparent. Christine remembered clearly the giggles and furtive glances in his direction by the female students when he first approached their group to welcome them to the opera house. Tall, blond, and _perfect_, she could understand why he was considered one of San Francisco's most eligible. What surprised her, however, was that he noticed her at all out of all the truly beautiful young women on the field trip, not to mention all the gorgeous performers and others associated with the opera house.

As they began dating, she found that he was so much more than just handsome. He had that rare combination of confidence and humility, and was as genuine and as honest a man as one could hope for. As a boyfriend, he was charming and generous. And as a man, as she later found out, he was not only a very gentle lover, but on occasion, also a daring one. He was truly as perfect as he looked.

It was six months ago, after they'd dated for a year and a half, that he suggested she move in with him to his penthouse apartment. She'd already gone over in her mind what she'd say if this ever came up, yet she didn't even know why she felt the way she did. _I'm sorry, Rick, but I really don't want to move in with you right now. I like having my own place. _When he asked her to elaborate, she stressed privacy and that she enjoyed her solitude. He respected her candor and never brought it up again, much to her relief. But since then, she noticed a slight shifting in their relationship, almost a kind of possessiveness that she knew wasn't there before.

She called his cell phone and left a message that dollar Chinese would be fine and that she'd expect him at seven.

* * *

Christine slowly opened her eyes and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was almost 9:00 a.m. She loved sleeping in on the weekends, it was her one indulgence. 

She turned her head to the other side of the bed. Rick lay on his stomach, dead to the world; she knew he wouldn't be up for another couple hours. She had a lecture this morning, so she wanted to shower while she still could. She carefully got out of bed so Rick wouldn't be disturbed and gathered her robe.

The warm water felt wonderful as she lathered her hair, and she allowed her mind to wander to the night before. They'd watched a romantic comedy as they'd eaten dollar Chinese, and laughed till their sides hurt. It was a great evening. After they cleared everything away, they'd cuddled up on the sofa and just talked, about everything. Over the past several months, Rick had started hinting at a number of things, very tactfully, almost as an afterthought, until it became apparent to Christine that he was talking about getting married. She'd very gently tried to explain that she wasn't ready to get married, that she was still too young, although 21 really wasn't _too_ young. Rick was 25 and she could understand how he'd want to get on with his life since he was out of school and his future was planned, but it wasn't something she wanted at this point in her life because her immediate goal was to become an opera singer, not a wife and mother.

As she stepped out of the shower and dried off, she automatically reached for her favorite rose-scented body spray and began spritzing, smiling as she recalled her most recent conversation with Megan.

_"Christine, are you crazy! Do you know how many women would kill to be in your shoes? The man is rich, he's drop dead gorgeous, and he treats you well. He's definitely a keeper! What's not to love?"_

_"I _do_ love him, Megan, I just don't think I want to get married right now. I have goals, I want to finish school and become an opera singer."_

_"Who says you can't be an opera singer who's married?"_

_"Rick wants children, and I don't want to be tied down with kids while I'm trying to get my career off the ground. I'll probably be traveling a lot at first."_

_"Well, we all have to make our tough choices. But if I had to choose between _maybe_ becoming a world class opera singer as opposed to I _will be _rich and well taken care of, well, you do the math." _

Dear Megan, she thought. I know she means well, but will she ever understand that I might _never_ want to marry Rick? For that matter, do _I_ even understand why? And it's not about children, because if I really loved someone, I'd take children over opera any day. But I _do_ love him, so why am I holding back? Isn't he what I've always wanted?

Christine returned to the bedroom and checked her clock. It was 9:30. She had just enough time to get dressed and get to the lecture. She picked out a comfortable pair of stretch jeans and a short-sleeved top, a pair of medium-heeled boots, and her watch, bracelet, and earrings, and she was all set. She scribbled a hasty note for Rick and placed it on her nightstand so he'd see it when he awoke. Then she grabbed her backpack and purse and headed out the door.

Christine arrived at one of the university parking lots at five minutes to ten. Thankfully, because it was a Saturday, she had her pick of parking spots, so she parked as close as she could to Livingston Hall, the 500-seat lecture hall, the smallest of three on campus. She rushed into the lecture hall and quickly spotted Megan sitting about five rows from the front, and who had kindly saved her a seat as the hall was almost completely filled. Christine slipped into the seat next to her with about a minute to spare.

"Christine, where were you? I was afraid you weren't going to make it!" Megan already had her notebook and pen out, ready to take notes.

"Sorry, overslept. Rick's still at the apartment." Christine stowed her books under her seat and retrieved a notebook and pen from her backpack.

"I just want all the details later," Meg winked.

Just then, Dr. Martin, one of the music professors, or Doc Martin as the students liked to call him, came up to the podium. "Good morning, I'm glad to see so many of you made it this morning for the lecture series. This morning I'm very pleased to introduce Dr. Amir Khan of the San Francisco Philharmonic. He'll be giving us a background on the Philharmonic and of the direction of music in the 21st century. For those of you who want or need extra credit, you're to write a paper on the lecture and turn it in by next class. Dr. Khan."

As Dr. Khan approached the podium, Christine noticed at once that he looked both scholarly and handsome, two things that had always been incongruous in her mind. Kind of like matter and antimatter being unable to occupy the same space without canceling each other out. She looked over at Megan and could tell she was thinking the same thing. Dr. Khan looked rather young not only because of his sleek, shoulder-length black hair, but most likely due to his very trim physique. Tall, broad shouldered, but not too broad, tapering down to a trim waistline and flat abs, Christine didn't believe he had an ounce of excess fat anywhere. Due to the unusually sunny weather, he'd decided to forego a suit and opted instead for a pair of khakis and a polo shirt, which she noticed made him look _very_ fit. Christine again looked over at Megan and noticed that she'd taken to smiling non-stop since Dr. Khan's introduction.

"Good morning, everyone. My name is Amir Khan, and I am the Musical Director at the San Francisco Philharmonic. I oversee the musical numbers that are performed by our orchestra, as well as develop new pieces with the Philharmonic's resident composer. This morning we'll be going over how the Philharmonic works on a day to day basis, as well as the direction of music in the 21st century."

Overall, Christine found the lecture fascinating and took notes at a steady pace, but as Dr. Khan began explaining music in the new millennium, she straightened. This was something that would effect her directly.

"Most of you are probably unaware of a recent shift in music because you're not deeply involved in its creation. But there is something going on right now that will eventually effect everyone in this room who listens to classical music or opera. Like everything, music evolves over a period of time because of changing tastes or a new generation with different experiences and expectations. And when you have something that's been around for awhile, like opera or classical music, many people resist or oppose any change. But that doesn't mean change can be stopped if it's a natural evolutionary process, which this seems to be. What makes this phenomenon so unusual is that it seems to have come about through the work of one composer, an anonymous genius."


	3. An Overture for Mankind

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 3

An Overture for Mankind

The lecture was utterly fascinating and the remainder of the hour saw a flurry of note-taking as imaginations were fired at the very thought that one man, or one woman for that matter, was actually changing the course of musical history in their lifetime.

The hall was eerily quiet as Dr. Khan finally reached the point everyone had been waiting for. "It's very possible you haven't heard this piece before even though it was released six months ago, but you can believe that the people working closely in this genre have been hearing it almost every day, listening to it and studying it to find out what makes it so haunting. This is called 'An Overture for Mankind.'"

_No one can say this composer is small minded_ Christine thought.

As the music began, everyone was in high expectation of the greatest piece of music ever composed. No one moved or made a sound for the next forty-five minutes. Christine knew that this was the most emotionally wrenching musical experience anyone would ever have. Never had she heard such pain and sorrow, desperation and longing, or such beauty, brilliance and glorious love and ecstasy. There were grand portions with horns, others with strings or piano, such a wide range of instrumentation, it was hard to believe such a piece could even be created. What genius was in this music, it was the quintessence of the human spirit. Everyone in the hall was affected at some very basic level, many had tears streaming down their face, a few were even sobbing.

When the piece was finally over, everyone was still and it was obvious that all were moved beyond understanding. When Dr. Khan opened it up for questions, the discussion quickly became heated and impassioned, so much so that it had to be cut short at the end of the third hour by Dr. Martin.

When Dr. Khan had first announced questions after his lecture, Christine was surprised when Megan had been the first to raise her hand. This was a first as she'd never known Megan to raise her hand for any discussion the entire time she'd been at the conservatory. But Christine suspected that it wasn't entirely due to academic curiosity.

"Megan Gerard, sir. Is there any idea who this anonymous composer might be?"

"There have been a number of suggestions, Ms. Gerard, and even a few who have claimed to be him, but from what we knew of their training, education and skill, we knew we still didn't have him. We may never know who he is unless he comes forward, but that's not likely to happen soon." Dr. Khan gave her a smile. Megan smiled back.

Many gave their interpretations of what the composer may have meant the piece to mean, most concluding that it was obviously a very hopeful message to mankind that through all its struggles, mankind is always reaching out for knowledge and love, that the human spirit is unquenchable in its striving for excellence. Toward the end of the third hour, Christine raised her hand.

"Christine Karlsson, sir. I disagree with the comments that this piece has to do with the advancement of mankind. I don't believe the composer was talking about mankind at all, I believe he was talking about himself."

All eyes were now on her, a number of people murmuring their disagreement or surprise, or chuckling softly, as though her opinion was silly or unworthy of serious discussion. Dr. Khan studied her for a moment. He had seen her earlier during the lecture. So this was the young woman Erik was interested in. He could understand why. "What do you feel the composer was expressing, Ms. Karlsson?"

Christine looked only at Dr. Khan. "I think this music is a diary of the composer's life. He's experienced things most people never will, he's experienced all the sadness in the world, but he's got an incredible mind, a beautiful soul, and he's a genius. This music is about what's in his heart, about what he's experienced, and what he yearns for. This music is one man's soul. He's making musical history and he could be rich and famous. He could have anything he wanted. So my question is, why would he want to hide from that?"

"Interesting insight, Ms. Karlsson. It could be for any number of reasons. Maybe money doesn't mean anything to him, maybe he doesn't need it. Maybe he doesn't want the attention. Maybe he's crazy. It could be for a reason we haven't even thought of yet. But the important thing is that we have his music, and now generations of people will be able to hear it. It's been described as otherworldly, ethereal, spiritual. But everyone seems to agree that it's the most significant piece of music that's been composed in over 500 years."

As the lecture concluded, Christine and Megan gathered their supplies and made their way to the exit. As they walked past the podium, Christine noticed that a number of people had gathered around Dr. Khan so he could address their questions and comments personally. But when she glanced over to him, she was surprised to see that he was looking at her from between the people surrounding him. For some reason, this made her nervous. She turned away and followed Megan from the hall.

* * *

"How was the lecture?" Erik was softly playing the piano when his friend walked in.

"It was fine, fun actually." Amir went over to Erik's refrigerator and got a beer. "She was there."

"Who?"

"Christine. She asked about you."

"What do you mean?"

"She asked about the anonymous composer and why you didn't want to be rich and famous."

"And I suppose you told her?"

"Of course. I told her you were crazy."

Erik sighed. He turned back to his piano and looked out the window that looked out over San Francisco Bay as he softly played his now famous overture. As part of the agreement to build the Philharmonic, they had constructed a spacious apartment atop the building with a private entrance. His apartment included a fully equipped, soundproof studio, and he was to be their in-house composer for the life of the building. The addition of a carefully worded and enforced privacy clause guaranteed his anonymity for as long as he wished. Not bad for one design project, he thought.

And yet, he knew he'd gladly give it all up if he could just be happy with someone for the rest of his life.

* * *

Megan was smiling. "Do you think he's married?"

"Who?"

She looked at Christine in exasperation. "Dr. Khan, silly. He is _so_ hot!"

"Mm, he was okay." Christine just wanted to get to her car.

"Did you even notice? I mean, how could you _not _notice?" Megan was still smiling.

"But did you hear what he said about the anonymous composer? This is happening right now during our lifetime!"

"Actually, I think you got more out of that than I did, hon. You're into opera and the classics, I'm into dance. Now, if you wanted to talk about someone changing the face of ballet…."

"Point taken." Suddenly, there was a sharp rumbling noise. The few people who were walking past on the way to their cars looked up.

Megan laughed. "Christine, was that a jet or your stomach? I think we'd better get something to eat, you're attracting way too much attention."

Christine placed a hand over her stomach, embarrassed. "Sorry, can't today. I'm meeting Rick for lunch over at the opera house."

"Okay, talk to you later then, and I still want all the details!" Megan called as she hopped into her car.

Christine got into her own classic Volkswagen Beetle and made her way through lunch hour traffic to the opera house. She and Rick needed to talk and she hoped she wouldn't be late. She had known they'd have to have this talk sooner or later and she'd been dreading it, but last night left no doubt in her mind that now was that time.

Gaston's was a private but quaint outdoor café during the day, and at night was a very intimate and romantic dining experience. It was one of their favorite hangouts and usually attracted the local theater crowd as well as those trying to perfect their craft by performing free for the diners seated outside. Today there was a mime who was dressed in a French apache costume to get into the spirit of the adjacent restaurant. As Christine hurried up the steps to the entrance of the restaurant, she was vaguely aware of being chased on her heels by the mime, who, by his flamboyant arm motions and facial expression was clearly in the role of the jilted lover. As she reached the top of the entrance, Rick came out and greeted her warmly and gave her a peck on the cheek. As they turned to go into the restaurant, Rick turned and glared at the mime, who ducked his head and dejectedly walked back down the stairs to polite laughter and applause from the dining audience.

"I'm sorry we won't be able to eat outside, my love, all the tables are taken. We'll have to eat in here." Rick took her hand as they followed their hostess to one of the favored booths in the back. As they ordered their drinks, their hostess said she would be back shortly, and they turned their attention to their menus.

* * *

Erik didn't usually care for the lunchtime crowd, but Amir had insisted he accompany him to try some nouvelle French cuisine that would 'knock your socks off.' Erik actually liked Gaston's because he felt they had the best French food the likes of which he hadn't had in over a decade, but Amir had been raving about one dish in particular all week. Erik quietly contemplated the appetizer as he placed the delicate morsel in his mouth.

Amir watched him. "What do you think?"

"It's wonderful," he whispered reverently. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back slightly, allowing himself time to thoroughly relish the flavors. Amir was true to his word. The wasabi-crusted ahi tuna was exquisite.

Amir chuckled. He allowed Erik a moment of culinary bliss. It was an on-going contest to find the best food in town. So far he was winning. "I'm glad you like it. It's light and it doesn't make you sleepy after lunch." From the expression on his face, it was easy to imagine that Erik had escaped to a land of rolling green hills and blue skies. "So, when are you going to ask her out?"

Erik stopped chewing. "Excuse me?"

"You know who I'm talking about, stubborn. For four years you've attended every recital and performance she's ever been in. Once she graduates, she'll be gone. Are you just going to let this go?"

Erik frowned at him. He turned and looked around for the waiter so they could pay their bill and leave. He suddenly locked eyes with someone across the room and froze. It was Christine.

* * *

Christine loved the Caesar salads at Gaston's, but she knew she couldn't eat now although she knew she was famished. She looked across the table at Rick, and he looked as though he didn't have a care in the world as he attacked his veal piccata, which Christine knew was excellent. It wasn't as though Christine had been totally oblivious to Rick's subtle hints and humorous comments about moving in together or getting married, although he hadn't come right out and asked again since she'd refused him six months ago. But she knew it had gotten to the point where the relationship could no longer stand still. After two years, he deserved to know where this was going.

Christine felt the familiar clutch of anxiety surround her heart whenever she knew there would be a confrontation. She took a drink of water before starting. "Rick, I wanted to talk about what we started talking about last night before we fell asleep."

"Sure, what part?"

"The part about our future. My parents had saved up enough for me to finish college before they died, but since I got the scholarship, I have enough to live off of for awhile after I finish school. Once I graduated, I wanted to audition for an internship at the Philharmonic, and then maybe audition for some of their productions."

Rick took a sip of his water. "That's a great plan, babe, but where's the part about us?"

Christine unconsciously took a deep breath and started slowly. "Rick, would you agree that when someone knows what their future will look like, that it's easier to make decisions about it than when you don't know?"

Rick looked at her. "Yes, I think that's an accurate statement. And…?"

"I mean, you know where you're going because of your family. You know you'll one day be helping your brother run your family's business when your dad dies, and you'll probably get married and have kids. Is that right?" Christine hoped this went well, so far so good.

Rick nodded his head slightly. "Yup, that sounds about right. I don't know when all this is supposed to happen, but that's pretty accurate."

So far, Rick was saying exactly what she expected he would say. "Well, I don't have as clear a picture as far as what my future's going to look like. I know where I'd like to go professionally, but I don't know when I'll ever want to get married or have kids. I just know that that's not what I want right now."

Rick readily agreed with that. "That's not what I want right now, either. There's still a lot I need to learn about our business, and working at the Phil is part of that. Eventually I'll work with my family, and then I'll probably get married."

Christine felt like this was starting to get side-tracked. "Rick, I think what I'm trying to say is that I don't know if I'll ever want _us_ to get married."

Rick just stared, realization slowly dawning. "Christine…wait. You're saying you won't ever want to marry _me._" It was a statement.

"No, Rick, I'm saying I _don't know _if I will," she said softly

Rick felt a sudden chill in his heart. "Christine…. is there someone else?"

Christine shook her head, "No, there's no one else."

"Then, it's me. Did I do something wrong?"

"No, Rick, you haven't done anything wrong. You've been perfect."

He knew the shock had finally processed from his mind down to his heart, because it was starting to hurt painfully. "Then, why? I love you, and I thought you loved me. I thought everything was fine."

"Everything _was_ fine. But after two years, I just realized that it's not fair for me to keep stringing you along when you're ready to get married and I'm not. I love you, but I don't know if I'll ever want to marry you. Something just seems to be missing, and I think we just need to give each other some space."

Rick wasn't sure what he was feeling now, anger, rage, despair, he wasn't sure, and he didn't know what to say. He covered his eyes with a hand.

"Rick, you can marry anyone, you're _the_ most eligible bachelor in the city. And I do still want you in my life…."

"No," he cut her off, "you don't understand. I can't love anyone else." He needed to get out of there, this was too much. He stood and placed some money on the table for the waiter. He reached out and gently touched her face. He whispered, "Christine, I love you…"And then he left.

Christine felt numb. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. She hadn't even noticed that she'd been crying until she felt her face where Rick had touched her. After her parents had died, she had felt so alone in the world, each day blending into the next. But then Rick came into her life and she enjoyed living again. They had been together for two wonderful years, and now he was gone. She hated crying in public. She felt she should go before she started sobbing.

She looked around the restaurant as she reached for her purse when her eyes suddenly locked with someone's a few tables away. All that registered in her mind at that moment was that those eyes were _beautiful,_ and she was drowning in them.


	4. First Contact

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize. The copyright is simply to say that the story itself is mine, not the characters in it.

Thanks to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 4

First Contact

She froze. Just a few tables away, he was sitting with another gentleman at a table, facing her. He had looked up at the same moment she did when their eyes met. Her vision was somewhat blurred through her tears, yet his eyes were luminous … she couldn't have looked away if she'd tried. Her mind vaguely registered that they were light brown, almost golden. And was he wearing a white mask on the right side of his face? But his face was … _stunning._

Christine's sense of presence returned with a jolt, and she realized with sudden horror that she was a weeping mess. Her hair was in disarray and her face was streaked with tears. She hurriedly grabbed her purse and attempted to wipe away her tears as she turned and walked quickly towards the exit.

Erik had been glancing around the restaurant hoping to attract the waiter so they could pay their bill and leave. He was in no mood to discuss his personal life with Amir at the moment.

As he looked around the restaurant, he suddenly locked eyes with someone. He froze. Christine was no more than twenty feet away. For about five seconds, time stood still. Her eyes were a brilliant brown, her face so beautiful, and her hair a gorgeous cascade of dark brown curls. She was a vision. But why was her face wet…

Erik's sudden rigor was so complete that Amir turned completely around to see what he was staring at. He only saw her back as she quickly exited the restaurant. "Was that her?"

Erik nodded, still looking at where Christine had gone. "She seemed upset about something." His mind was a jumble of unorganized thoughts and emotion. They paid their bill and he returned to his apartment, but he couldn't remember how he got there.

For four years, he had been content with the privilege of hearing her voice at her recitals and performances. He so looked forward to hearing her that he'd even marked his calendar with a schedule of her appearances. He'd been beside himself for weeks when he'd found out she'd gotten a boyfriend. The thought of her being made love to by someone else disturbed him more than he would ever admit. _But why? Why should he care?_It wasn't just her voice, he wouldn't be going through this just over a voice. _What was it?_ Once she graduates, she'll surely audition for the Philharmonic, but there was no guarantee she would perform there regularly. She would effectively be out of his life, after four years...

He made up his mind.

* * *

_Eighteen years ago, in France, he had met Catherine. They went to the same high school and were both seniors. She had been attracted to him because of his initial shyness and obvious brilliance, and the mask had never been an issue for her. He hadn't known what to make of her attentions since he'd never experienced such a thing before, but he found himself quickly falling under her spell. It was after a date one night, after they had been together for a couple months, that something happened that would change his life forever. _

_They had come back to his house after dinner one evening when his parents were out. They had settled down on the sofa to watch a movie, eventually reclining on the sofa for some heated kissing and exploring. It was during this heated exchange that Catherine had reached up and removed his mask. When she opened her eyes from a kiss and saw the twisted and scarred flesh so close to her face, she had jerked out of his arms in shock, hands covering her mouth to stifle a scream as she looked at him in horror. Erik immediately covered his face with his hand and tried to plead with her, but it was too late. Catherine had grabbed her things and fled. For days after that incident, Erik had tried to talk to her to explain, but her behavior made it clear that she was not only repulsed, but embarrassed, and would never go near him again. Deeply hurt and humiliated, Erik resolved never to place himself in such a situation again. _

_Six years later, when he was in graduate school, he had met Sarah. She was a fellow graduate student, brilliant and beautiful. She had been intrigued by his forward-thinking ideas and obvious genius and seemed oblivious to his mask. After several months of dating, Erik explained to her why he wore the mask, but she said it didn't matter because it was his heart she loved, and not just his face. Erik thought he had finally found someone who could accept him just as he was, and was happy at last. When they made love on one particular night, Sarah asked him to remove his mask so she could love him completely, without any barrier. Unable to refuse her anything, he reluctantly complied, fully expecting her to pull away or to show some sign of disgust, but she didn't do any of those things. She just looked at him, with no change in her expression, and they continued making love that night. Erik wondered if things would change after that. They did, and Erik knew that it would only be a matter of time before she left him. Although they continued to date and make love on occasion, she never again asked him to remove his mask. He knew that she had loved him at one time, as he had loved her, but it was no longer the same. They eventually went their separate ways after graduation and lost contact. _

That was twelve years ago. He hadn't been with anyone since, but he had not wanted to be. Although it wouldn't have been his choice, he had resolved himself to being alone for the rest of his life. No one would want to be married to someone with just half a face. No amount of money or fame could ever change that.

_And yet, one thought came faithfully unbidden to his mind each night before he fell asleep: what if it _were_ possible? Could there be someone in this world so pure of heart that she could see past the demon and see the man? Could it even be Christine? _

* * *

It had been two hellish weeks since Christine had seen Rick at Gaston's. She knew she'd done the right thing to talk to him about needing space because she knew her feelings for Rick were probably at a standstill for now, but that didn't make it any easier now when she wanted and needed him. Within the two years, he'd proved to be a wonderful friend and she loved him dearly. Despite how they parted, she knew he'd be in her life always. Along with Megan, he was her best friend, period. 

Megan had had a conniption when Christine told her that night that she'd had _the talk_ with him. _"Are you serious? Christine, are you sure about this! I know you're going to tell me you had a hell of a good reason, right? I mean, what _haven't_ you told me about him? I thought he was Mr. Perfect!" _

_"Well, he was, in a way, but he just wasn't doing it for me." Christine hated using that phrase, but it was true nonetheless._

_"'Not doing it for you,'" Megan repeated. "I thought you said he was great…as I remember, you once said it didn't get any better!" _

_"I was talking about the whole package, silly, not just that!" Christine blushed. "He _was_ perfect, but … something was always missing. And if I feel this way now after two years, can you imagine how it'd be if we'd gotten married? I'd be a basket case."_

_"So what do you think you _do_ want, girlfriend?"_

_Christine smiled, suddenly remembering two golden eyes from two weeks ago._

_Megan saw the smile and knew it had the devil in it. "What?" _

_"Nothing, just thinking about someone I saw at the restaurant a couple weeks ago. I don't even know who he was. I'll probably never even see him again…."_

* * *

"How am I ever going to see her again?" It was Sunday night and Erik was in his kitchen preparing dinner for himself and Amir. 

"I suppose running into her at the school and introducing yourself would be out of the question." Amir was at the counter slicing vegetables at high speed, each slice of equal width. He always looked forward to dinner at Erik's. Early on in their acquaintance they found they had a number of similar interests, gourmet cooking being one of them, and thus began one of a number of friendly contests to see who could best the other. Tonight's dish was curried shrimp and rice.

"And what am I supposed to say to her? 'Hi, I'm your friendly neighborhood masked man, and I'd just love to get to know you.' I'm sure that'd go over real well."

"I think you underestimate your charm, mon ami." Amir placed the chopped vegetables in a bowl and rinsed off the chef's knife.

"The last two times I tried charm didn't quite work. I'd like to avoid a repeat of that."

"Erik, did you ever think that perhaps it was their problem and not yours? That they were just shallow?"

"Of course I've thought of that, you twit, but you're not the one with this face."

"No need to get snippy, I'm just trying to help. You've got a lot to offer, Erik, and you're more than just your face. You know, there are a lot of people a lot worse off than you who have perfect faces. Think about it – you're not a quadriplegic, you've got your health, you're not in a war ravaged country, and you're a genius on top of it! Shall I go on?"

"I hate it when you're right. No, I know you're right, my friend. But it's just hard keeping it in perspective when I'm the one with this 'problem.' I know I've been luckier than most, but the one thing I want most always seems to elude me."

"Then stop running from it. Don't ever think that great love doesn't come with great risk. We all take that risk in different ways, you're not alone in this." He thought about Christine's comments at the lecture. "You know, you may even be on the right track. If you want her, you'll just have to go and get her."

Erik added the last of the seasoning to the shrimp and seemed momentarily lost in thought. "Maybe she'll come to the masquerade."

"Masquerade?" Amir dried his hands on the towel.

"The Bal Masque." Erik suddenly turned and forcefully threw the chef's knife in Amir's direction. The knife barely missed his head before embedding itself in the bulletin board behind him. "It's later this month. Did you forget?"

Amir turned to look at the colorful invitation to the Philharmonic's annual Bal Masque that was now impaled cleanly through the middle. "That's just two weeks away. Do you have your costume?"

"No, I'm going as myself, I'll fit right in. What are you going as?"

"No idea, but that's the advantage of working at an opera house. We get our choice of costumes from the costuming department."

Dinner was ready. The rice came out perfect as always, and the shrimp was just this side of done. Erik spooned everything into the serving bowls and took them to the table. Amir grabbed the wine and utensils and they took their seats.

Erik took a bite. "This came out pretty good, don't you think?"

"Yes, I like this dish. You'll have to make it again sometime." Amir was in heaven. As accomplished as he was in the kitchen, he secretly acknowledged that Erik actually had a better hand at it, although he'd be damned if Erik ever found out. Erik may have many abilities, but Amir made sure he'd have to fight for every bit of recognition he gave him. After all, it wouldn't do for Erik to privately gloat over every little thing. "Why don't you e-mail her, or send her an instant message?"

"I don't have her e-mail address."

Amir took a sip of his wine. "You know that's not a problem for you."

"I'll think about it." Erik sipped his wine.

"Do you ever miss the old days?"

Erik stopped eating and looked up. "You've got to be kidding."

"Not at all. You've got to admit, there were a lot of perks to living the life."

Erik snorted, "You're a very sick man, my friend. I never enjoyed killing, no matter how someone may have deserved it. Besides, a lot of other people got killed, too, who didn't deserve it."

"I didn't mean the killing, but we got to see a lot of different places, different cultures, the food, the women…."

"_You_ got to see the women, I got to see the different places. And besides, most of those women were killers, too. No, I much prefer my boring life now."

"Your life is hardly boring, Erik. You write the greatest piece of music in the world while living on top of one of the great opera houses which _you_ designed, and which has made you a very wealthy man. _I_ should have such a boring life."

"Are you ready for dessert? I made crème brulee." Erik went to the oven where the individual dessert cups were being kept warm until they were ready to be served. He set them on the table, and with a flourish, lit them, their blue flames making for a beautiful presentation.

When the flames died down, Amir tasted his dessert. "This is my mother's recipe!"

"Of course, I never could get over her special touch with desserts."

Amir smiled. _Just when I think I've got him figured out, he always does the unexpected. That's probably why we've been together for so long._

* * *

Christine went through her usual Monday routine of classes and advanced vocals. She loved her classes and most of her professors and felt there was no better way to go through school than to spend the entire day immersed in what you loved. And she even had a couple classes with Megan, which made it all the better. 

They met up after their last class and walked to their cars. "Christine, the Philharmonic's masquerade is in two weeks! Have you gotten your costume yet?"

"No, I've been kind of busy. Actually, I was thinking of not going this year because Rick will be there since he works at the Phil."

Megan wouldn't take no for an answer. "But you _have_ to go, this is our last year! And besides, you know very well he's going to be surrounded by every unattached woman in the city. You said that happened the last two years, so he'll probably be pretty busy anyways. And another thing – what if you're mysterious stranger is there, too? This may be your last chance to find him!"

Christine considered it. "I don't think it'd make any difference. If everyone's got a mask, how would I ever find him, and how would he find me?"

Megan threaded her arm through Christine's. "Why don't you come over for dinner tonight and we can decide on what kind on costumes we'll get, and then we can plan our strategy in the man department. If he's there, we'll find him!"

Christine squeezed her friend's arm. "Let's make it for tomorrow, if that's okay. I promised Madame Wu I'd help out in the store tonight."

"Okay, 7:00 p.m. tomorrow for pizza. I've got a whole binder of costume ideas from the last three years!"

They waved goodbye and drove out of the school parking lot, each going their separate ways. Christine wondered what she'd ever do without her friend. Since she was no longer with Rick, she hadn't given any thought as to what sort of costume she'd care to wear this year. But knowing Megan, she'd have her dressed to impress not only all the single men at the ball, but probably also the television news crews that were always there to cover this annual gala event. _And what if her mysterious stranger_ was_ there? Even if she were even able to find him, what would she say, what would she do? Even more to the point, what would _he_ do? Would he even do anything, or did she alone imagine that there had been some brief connection? _

Christine pondered her conflicting thoughts until she walked into Madame Wu's Antiques and ran into the grand dame herself.

"Christine, so good to see you, dear! Did you have a nice weekend? How's the boyfriend?" Madame Wu asked in rapid succession.

Christine gave her a wide grin. After living above her store for the last three years, the woman had practically become her surrogate mother. "Good to see you, too, Madame Wu. My weekend was fine, but I don't have a boyfriend any more."

"Oh no, what happened? He seemed like such a nice young man. You know, I even thought you two might get married someday."

"No, I'm really not ready to get married. I want to finish school and start my career first."

"Of course, I understand. But if you should ever change your mind, let me know and I'll introduce you to my grandson Evan. He's about your age, wants to become a doctor. He comes home during the holidays and helps out at my son's restaurant, Fong's. I'm going there now, so I'll leave you in charge and you can close up. See you tomorrow, dear."

The bell over the door chimed as Madame Wu went out and walked the few doors down to Fong's Chinese Restaurant. Christine rather liked these quiet afternoon and evenings in the store when there were usually few customers and she was left to unpack new merchandise, dust the display shelves, or, once everything else was done, finish up her homework, which usually consisted of a lot of reading or practicing her vocals. She loved being the first to lay her eyes on a Chinese curio before she set it out on display. Most of them were beautiful, but occasionally she would unpack something very mysterious whose use was not immediately obvious and she would find herself imaging all sorts of outrageous magical scenarios the artifact probably came from.

Christine had unpacked and dusted the new merchandise before placing them on the shelves and then gotten started on her homework, occasionally helping late-night shoppers. Once that was completed around 8:30 p.m., she started to practice her vocals as she moved around the shop dusting the other pieces. She was practicing a piece from one of her favorite operas when she heard the bell chime above the door. She turned to see who it was, but saw no one. "Hello?" she called out. "Did somebody just come in?" There was no answer so she figured someone probably started to come in and then changed their mind. She continued dusting and practicing her piece.

"You have a beautiful voice."

Christine literally jumped and let out a small scream. "Don't DO that! You scared me to death!" He had walked up to her while her back was turned and was now no more than three feet away. It was _him_.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't want to interrupt you. It really was beautiful. I was actually looking for music boxes. I collect them."

_God, his voice is beautiful. _"Sure, they're right over here." She led him to a display shelf with about a dozen intricately carved and designed boxes. "They're all from China and they're anywhere from 30 to 75 years old. We also gift wrap if you need it," she smiled.

As she stood to his left, she noted that he was tall and _beautifully_ built … broad shoulders, slender, and long, lean legs. He was dressed completely in black, a black dress shirt opened at the neck, black dress pants and shoes. He was _fine_.

He looked at each music box in turn, opening them and listening to the tunes, studying the designs on the boxes. One in particular captured his interest. It was a beautifully carved black lacquer box that was inlaid with abalone shell shaped into a beautiful rose. He opened it carefully and an old melody drifted out. He seemed entranced by it.

"That piece is a classic called 'China Nights,' and that box is about 50 years old. It's my personal favorite," Christine smiled warmly.

"I'll take it, no need to gift wrap it."

She rung up the purchase and placed it in a bag and held it out for him. As he reached out to take it, his fingers slightly grazed her hand. She was so surprised she almost dropped the bag. She looked into his eyes then and again had the sensation of falling, or drowning in their depths. Time again seemed to stop, and she again vaguely realized that he wore a white mask on the right side of his face. His face is beautiful…. "Thank you, Mr. …."

"Erik. You can call me Erik."


	5. Roses

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize. The copyright is simply to say that the story itself is mine, not the characters in it.

Author's Note: A sincere thank you to my reviewers and to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 5

Roses

Christine felt as if the world were on hold. "Thank you, Erik," she smiled. She couldn't just let him disappear again. "We get new shipments in every week, so you can always call to find out if we get any new ones in."

"Thank you, I'll do that." He smiled before he turned and left, the bell above the door signaling that he had gone.

Christine started weighing her options. He had paid in cash and she didn't get his last name, so she was no further along than she was before. She still didn't know if she'd ever see him again. _Shit! Now what?_

* * *

Erik walked to his car and drove the short distance home. He found his Angora cat sleeping curled up on the couch. A beautiful creature, jet black, he had named her Anubis. He took the music box out of the bag and placed it on his mantle with the lid open, allowing the melody to remind him of his first encounter with Christine. He had noticed everything about her from the moment he first stepped into Madame Wu's … her hair gathered up in a clip and held back with bobby pins decorated with antique jewels, she wore jeans and a blue long-sleeved blouse that brought out the brilliance of her eyes, she wore silver studs in her ears, a silver wristwatch on her left wrist, and she was dusting with her right hand. Her voice was like an angel's, and her movements were graceful, like a dancer's. She was slender, and when he approached her, he noticed with amusement that the top of her head would come to just under his chin. He remembered that she had seemed a little nervous, but perhaps that was because it was almost closing time and she was alone in the store with a strange man.

Being in her presence was magical, he had felt as if he were floating on air, and he remembered she smelled like roses. When she handed him his purchase, he made sure his fingers accidentally touched her hand. He remembered precisely how she felt. And in that moment when their eyes met, time seemed to stop. He noticed that her eyes were beautiful, and her lips were parted ever so slightly…. He truly could have forgotten himself and kissed her on the spot, which would no doubt have earned him a sound slap on the face or having to answer to the police. He wondered whether she would even remember him. _She must run into dozens of people every day between school and work. What are the chances I made any kind of impression at all?_ _At least she didn't stare at the mask._

Erik closed the music box and put on some soft jazz. He made himself a drink and dimmed the lights as he settled himself in an overstuffed chair as he looked out over the city. He thought about Christine and how he wished he could approach her as any other man surely would, but he knew from experience how people behaved when confronted by the unfamiliar and unknown. More often than not, people stared openly, or discreetly, but however they did it, they all _looked_. The more tactless would ask him about the mask or make some inappropriate comment, which he usually ignored.

He sighed. For all he'd been through, how ironic was it that he should now find himself here, on top of the world. He could just as easily have been killed once upon a time were it not for Amir. That was only eight years ago…

_After the opera house had been built, he had wanted to get away from the things he knew and forget the pain of yet another rejection. He wanted to go to the ends of the earth, which turned out to be Persia. His commission to build the Shah's new palace had placed him in a very powerful position for a few years, and his genius was not lost on the royal house. The elder Shah ordered him to use his genius to covertly carry out assassinations of those perceived to be threats to the kingdom, and it was while in this service that he met Amir. It was during this time that he learned about poisons and their antidotes, about stealth, about hacking computers, about hand to hand combat, and how to wield the Punjab lasso. The Shah ordered that he and Amir work together in eliminating their enemies, which they did and excelled at. A number of their targets included women, and they were to use every means at their disposal to rid the kingdom of their threat. Amir excelled at going under cover and gaining their trust, often posing as their lover, until they were eliminated. Erik had marveled at Amir's ability to control his emotions after developing attachments with some of their targets, and yet remain focused on his mission. Erik had disposed of a number of operatives as well, but his methodology involved the use of mental and emotional manipulation rather than physical involvement. _

_The Shah had instructed that his palace be constructed with numerous secret rooms and passages so that he could spy on his wives and visitors when he suspected treachery. For his part, Erik would be paid a king's ransom for his design and construction and live in a manner equal to the Shah himself. So thrilled was the Shah with the finished result that he swore that no one else would ever have such a palace, and he ordered Erik executed. _

_Erik had long suspected, after first arriving at the palace, that the Shah was capable of such treachery when he learned that the previous architect had mysteriously vanished. And so, within the plans to the secret rooms and passages, he created lethal traps for the Shah and his evil first wife, the Khanum. They would be the only ones to ever enter these rooms or passages because these secret areas would be known only to them, and only Erik knew how to disable each and every trap before entry. Once they were killed by a trap, the offending room or passage would automatically seal, effectively concealing the body and the evidence for all time. First one would die, and eventually the other. The royal court would one day realize they had both disappeared and would never know that they had never left the building unless the entire palace were torn down one day and the bodies or skeletons found among the ruins. Erik felt it was poetic justice. Amir learned of the execution in time, and with his contacts, was able to smuggle himself and Erik out of Persia and to the United States under new aliases. _

Erik shook his head at the memory. He even remembered reading about the disappearance of the Shah and his wife less than a year after he and Amir had left the country.

He didn't think he'd ever be able to love someone again, or kiss someone, or make love with anyone again. But now he was thinking of Christine, and all he knew was that he wanted to be with her. He knew he couldn't approach her like a normal man would, he'd have to do it gradually so she could get to know him as a person and not be afraid that she was being stalked by a masked man. If she had lunch at Gaston's, then she knew about the Bal Masque and would most likely attend. He would reveal himself to her then, but until that night, he would give her something to look forward to…

* * *

"Come on, let's see if there's a game going on at the park and maybe they'll let us join in. I think it'd be good for you to try and have some fun." Philip always thought it was his job as the big brother to make sure Rick was happy, even when it came to his girlfriends.

"I don't know if I feel up for it. I'd rather crawl into a hole and just stay there for the rest of my life." Even after two weeks, he felt bereft, as though the other part of him had been ripped away. Rick walked along with his hands in his pockets and his head down, it was obvious he was off in his own world.

Philip put a hand on his shoulder. "You know, this may actually be a blessing in disguise. If she couldn't appreciate you for who you were, chances are she wouldn't have fit into our crowd. You know how our friends are."

Yes, he knew how they were. They were a bunch of superficial snobs. If his family didn't depend on them for business, he'd want nothing to do with them. He had imagined spending his life with Christine, and to hell with the rest. He would have loved her until the day he died, and he would have given her the world…

They came upon the local park where a group of young men were playing football. Philip approached and asked if they could join in. They seemed glad for the extra hands and smiled as each joined a side. It was a beautiful day although cool for the time of year, and Philip recognized a number of the young men from various businesses in Chinatown. As the game got underway, he was happy for the exercise and companionship they were able to share. What with caring for the family business and obligations, he hardly had time to spend with Rick any more. He sympathized with him and with what he was going through emotionally, but he felt it was just a matter of time before his brother found another girlfriend to occupy his time with. Actually, finding girlfriends was never his problem and he'd actually wondered what it was Rick had seen in Christine since she wasn't at all like what he would have imagined for him. Ah well, he supposed one couldn't always choose who one fell in love with.

As they played, it seemed to him that Rick was playing a bit more aggressively than usual. Apparently the other team members noticed it, too, for one of them said jokingly, "Hey, Prince Charming, what's the problem? Trouble in paradise?"

That was all it took for Rick to snap and suddenly strike. The man didn't see it coming as a fist made vicious contact and he was sent sprawling onto the grass. Philip ran up and grabbed his brother. Rick seemed crazed as Philip struggled to hold him back as he tried to lunge at the man again, Philip finally succeeding when he'd wrestled his brother to the ground.

"What the hell, de Chagny! Have you lost your mind?" the man yelled. He wasn't any worse for wear, but being struck during a friendly game between friends was the last thing anyone expected. The other players had stopped and were watching intently, ready to jump in if the need arose.

"I'm sorry, please forget it, his girlfriend just dumped him." Philip was trying to lead him away. Rick wrenched his arm away and turned to walk out of the park to return home so he could drown what little sense he felt he had left.

Rick was angry, but he was ashamed as well. He'd always been in control of himself, but he'd lost control during a friendly game with friends. He knew he'd have to apologize to them eventually. Hopefully they were close enough that they'd understand. _Christine, see what you've done to me…_

* * *

After classes, Christine drove home so she could get ready for a few hours at Madame Wu's. If there were any more music boxes, she wanted to get them displayed as soon as possible in case Erik returned or called the store. As she approached her apartment she noticed something on the floor in front of her door. As she bent over to pick it up, she saw that it was a beautiful red rose. It had a black satin ribbon tied to the stem. She looked around to see if there were any more lying around or if anyone else was about who might know where it came from, but she was alone in the hallway. Keeping to the task at hand, she unlocked her apartment and set her things down. Pinecone came out of the bedroom and meowed loudly, clearly communicating that she was starving and wanted to be fed _now_. Christine got a bud vase and filled it with water, placed the rose in it and set it on the coffee table in her living room. It smelled wonderful. Actually, she noticed that it was the most fragrant rose she had ever smelled. She set out a can of cat food for Pinecone, who was now happily and quietly having her dinner, and then checked her computer and phone for messages. No e-mails, and she only had one voice mail from Megan.

"Hey you! Where've you been? This is Megan, if you haven't already guessed. I just wanted to remind you that you're coming over tonight and we're going to go over the costumes. See you when you get off."

She had to admit she was starting to look forward to the masquerade now that she had another reason to go. But the question came up again, if he's there, how would I recognize him? And how would he recognize me? Would he even care? She knew it was a long shot at this point, but it was still fun to imagine the possibilities. Since she was no longer with Rick, she imagined she'd be going with Megan.

After changing her clothes and packing a few things to take to Megan's later to spend the night, she went downstairs to Madame Wu's. "Good evening, Madame Wu. We had a pretty good evening last night. Someone bought my favorite music box just before closing."

Madame Wu gathered up a few things before leaving for the day. "I'm not surprised, dear. It was such a beautiful box, I didn't expect it to be around long. Are you going to the masquerade at the Philharmonic in a couple weeks?"

Christine walked behind the counter. "I was thinking about it. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was going to go with my son and his family and we've got our costumes already, Chinese kimonos and such. I just wondered if you needed a costume, too, dear. If you did, I'm sure we could find a kimono that would fit you just beautifully."

"Oh, no, that's quite all right. My friend and I were getting together tonight to plan what costumes we'll wear. I'm sure we'll come up with something."

"That's fine, dear. We'll see you later then."

After she left, Christine busied herself with unpacking new merchandise and setting them out on display. She thought about Erik, but knew it was still too early to expect him to call or come into the store again. _Listen to me, thinking about someone who's probably already forgotten about me. All I did was help him buy a music box. As if he's got nothing better to do than think about a sales clerk who helped him for ten minutes. Right. Christine, you really are pathetic._

* * *

Across the street, Erik watched as Christine unpacked some boxes and walked through the store setting out items. He was tempted to walk in and browse, but he fought the urge, knowing it was still too soon to make another appearance. For now, he contented himself with just watching. He noticed she wore her hair up again tonight. She was wearing jeans and a knit sweater that showed her curves. He loved watching her move, she was so graceful no matter what she did. He imagined reaching up and removing the pins from her hair and running his fingers through her curls, arranging them around her shoulders. He preferred her hair down, framing her beautiful face. He felt himself getting warm at the thought, and then noticed that the front of his jeans had started to tighten. _This is ridiculous, I can't even look at her without getting hard. I'd better go._

Just then, he noticed a customer walk into the store. He thought he'd wait to see what she did before he left.

* * *

The bell over the door chimed as Rick walked in. He noticed Christine a couple aisles over and walked over.

"Hi, Christine," he said softly. He wasn't sure how she'd react since their parting a couple weeks ago.

"Rick! How nice to see you!" She put down the items she'd been holding and put her arms around him in a bear hug, genuinely glad to see him. "How've you been? I've missed you."

He smiled, happy that she was glad to see him. "I've been good. Busy at the Phil, getting ready for the masquerade and publicity. I've missed you, too. How've you been?"

"The same," she smiled. "Busy with my classes, working here. I'm supposed to see Megan when I get off and we're going to see what kind of costumes we're going to wear. So what brings you out this way?"

"To see you, of course. I've missed you and I wanted to tell you that you were right. It's been two years, and if you're not sure, then it's best that we give each other some space. If it's meant to be, it'll happen, and if it's not, it won't."

"Thank you, Rick. I'm glad you're okay with it. I meant it when I said you're my best friend. You and Megan both. I'm always going to want you in my life."

She reached out and hugged him again, and they hung on for awhile. When they let go, Rick took her hand.

"Christine, I can't deny that I still love you. Would you at least let me escort you to the masquerade?"

Christine shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, Rick, I don't think it'd be a good idea. I'll probably just go with Megan."

He nodded his head slightly. "That's okay, I understand. I'll see you there then."

He gave her a soft peck on the lips and left the store.

* * *

Erik tried to understand what he'd just seen. Judging by their body language, it was obvious they were no longer a couple. The de Chagny boy had obviously been disappointed when he left the store. He saw Christine shake her head as though she were refusing something, and then the boy left. This is good, Erik thought. One less thing to think about.

* * *

After she got off work, Christine locked up the store and went upstairs to her apartment. She grabbed her bag and satchel and made sure Pinecone had everything she needed, food, water, and a clean cat box. Everything was locked and in order. She saw her rose on the coffee table and once again wondered about it as she went out the door.

It was close to 9:30 when she pulled up at Megan's and she was starving.

Megan opened the door and was already dressed for their girl's night at home: pajama bottoms with a moon and stars design, a white tank top, and fuzzy slippers. "Hi, sis, how was work? Ready to eat?"

Christine could swear she was never so glad to bite into a pizza as she was that night. Megan had gotten her favorites: a medium vegetarian pizza, and another with pineapple, Canadian bacon and jalapenos. She was in heaven.

True to her word, Megan had a binder stuffed with costumes. If they didn't find something to wear tonight, it just wasn't going to happen. They were up till midnight weighing their options and narrowing down their final selections until a decision had been made. Christine would go as an angel and Megan would go as a fairy. _"I'm not going to be a _fairy_ – I'm going as a _wood nymph

* * *

Christine left Megan's around 8:30 the following morning to return home before heading off to school. She wanted to check on Pinecone and make sure everything was in order before starting her day. As she approached her door, she noticed that there was another rose on the floor with a black ribbon around it, the same as the day before. She automatically looked around to see if there was anyone else about, but she was again alone in the hallway. She unlocked her door and went inside. She loved her apartment. She thought about how good it felt to come home to her own place. Her own little sanctuary filled with her favorite things.

Pinecone was asleep on the couch. She set her things down in a chair and looked closely at the rose. She noticed that it was very fresh, as though it was just recently delivered, not slightly wilted as though it had been laying there for hours. It had obviously been placed outside her door within the hour. She decided to place it in a larger bud vase with the rose from the day before. She found a larger vase in the kitchen and filled it with water. She was about to place the roses in the vase when she stopped. She looked carefully at the first rose and noticed that it didn't look like a day-old rose. It looked every bit as fresh as the one she just picked up outside her door. Also, the stem looked slightly different. The ribbon was tied the same way, but the spacing of the leaves seemed different. But that's impossible, it has to be the same one because it was still in the bud vase. _Someone came into my apartment just so he could give me a new rose. Riiiight. Get a grip, Christine, you're losing it big time. _

She shook her head and checked around her apartment to make sure everything was in order, and out of habit, checked messages. Nothing. She still felt a little uneasy about the roses, but as unlikely a scenario as it was, decided to just go about her day. She changed clothes and gathered up her materials for school before heading out.


	6. A Note

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize. The copyright is simply to say that the story itself is mine, not the characters in it.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 6

A Note

Erik saw Christine leave her apartment from his vantage point at the end of the hallway. He knew she was going to school now. He had picked the lock to the supply closet at the end of the hall, which conveniently had a peep hole, and was able to leave the rose at her door without suspicion. He knew she had left work last night and then gone out again with a small overnight case and assumed she had gone to visit her girlfriend. Chances were good that she would return this morning to check on her cat, but while he was there, he couldn't resist seeing Christine's apartment.

It was effortless to pick the lock on her front door and walk in. Pinecone had come out to see who had entered her domain and started meowing loudly. Erik had come prepared for just such an event and fed her a piece of cat treat laced with enough sedative to make her sleep for a good couple hours.

Erik walked around the apartment, noting Christine's personal touches everywhere, musical awards, family pictures, a picture of her and that boy. He looked over her collection of books, music, and movies and felt that they had much in common. He went into her bedroom and saw her bed neatly made with decorative pillows that nicely contrasted her bedspread. He opened up her closet and saw her clothes hung neatly. The sweater she had worn last night was hanging in the middle. He pressed his face into it and breathed in her scent. It was intoxicating. He walked over to look in her bathroom and saw that she had left her hairbrush on the sink. He picked it up and brought it up to his face and breathed in. It smelled of lavender. _This is what her hair smells like_ he thought.

As he wandered into the living room, he noticed his rose in a bud vase on the coffee table. It looked a little wilted despite being in water. He removed a rose from his pocket that he had prepared that morning and placed it in the vase, while taking out the old rose and placing it in his pocket. It was then that he heard a car pull up outside. He carefully peered out the window and saw that Christine had returned home. He quickly locked the apartment door and left to secret himself in the supply closet, but not before leaving a new rose by her door.

* * *

"So, she knows someone's been leaving roses for her. What's next, Don Juan?" Amir asked breathlessly as they went through their paces. They were fencing in the spacious music room in Erik's apartment and were breathing heavily from exertion. 

"I'll leave her a little note, let her know my intention is to get to know her, so I don't scare her away." Erik thrusted and parried, expertly evading Amir's attacks. "It's only a week and a half till the masquerade, so I want her to look forward to meeting me by then."

"You sure you can't just walk up to her and introduce yourself at school? That'd be a perfect setting, it'd be in a public place so she'd feel safe."

"I'd rather do it one-on-one, without a lot of people around. It'll be like pre-courting." Erik jumped back.

"'Pre-courting'?" Amir lunged and missed. "If it works, I may try it myself someday."

"Very funny. You've got a whole face, and the women are always after you. They don't exactly stand in line for me." Erik did a double-advance and lunge, striking Amir dead center.

Amir removed his fencing mask, his hair wet against his brow. "Erik, aside from the mask, you're not exactly hard to look at. The mask isn't everything."

Erik also removed his fencing mask and unzipped the top of his fencing uniform. "I appreciate what you're trying to say, my friend, but experience has shown me otherwise." He handed him a bottle of water. "I need to stack the deck in my favor as much as possible before I meet her. You've seen the competition, that de Chagny boy. He's got everything I don't."

They walked outside to the rooftop and sat in the shade of a large umbrella. The afternoon breeze was refreshing. "de Chagny? The one that was on the cover of San Francisco magazine? You never do anything easily, do you, Erik?"

He held both hands up helplessly. "It's a gift."

Amir looked at his friend in profile and felt sad that Erik didn't realize his potential. He was an exceptionally handsome man, brilliant, and who could be charming when he wanted to be. But all he thought about was his face. He thought that was tragic. "But they haven't gotten married after two years, and you said you knew they weren't a couple any more. He's obviously not what she wanted."

Erik turned to him. "Tell me, old man, do you ever wish for someone special?"

Amir looked off in the distance thoughtfully before answering. "I don't know if I'm capable of having those feelings for anyone any longer. Too much has happened, and I've done things I can't take back. I don't know if it's left in me to love someone any more."

Erik looked off towards the bay. He supposed they both had their own demons to slay in this matter. Perhaps if life made it too easy, they wouldn't have as great an appreciation for their triumphs. Erik knew that Amir never had a problem finding women, but he knew he was selective in whom he chose to sleep with. And though Erik knew of many women who'd fallen in love with Amir, Amir had never returned those feelings, always moving on quickly. Erik often wondered what it must feel like to be loved so often and to actually have a choice in the matter, whether to accept or deny another's love. It seemed cruelly ironic that Amir couldn't fall in love with anyone in spite of being surrounded by beautiful women, whereas Erik could fall in love, but no woman would have him.

* * *

When Christine got off work that night, she wondered if she'd find another rose by her door. She didn't, and she was rather disappointed. But as she got closer, she noticed something else had been left this time. A letter. It was pushed partially under her door. 

She picked it up and look it over front and back. She could tell the ivory-colored stationery was expensive linen. On the front, in beautiful flowing script, was her name: Ms. Christine Karlsson. And on the back was a red wax seal with a beautiful initial D in Edwardian block with flourishes. She unlocked her door and went inside.

She set down her purse and turned on the lights. Pinecone regarded her lazily as Christine went over and sat next to her on the couch. She regarded the envelope again and lifted it to her nose. It smelled of wax from the seal, but also something else, a rich fragrance, a manly cologne she was unfamiliar with. She carefully undid the seal and opened the letter. It was brief, but in the same flowing script that was on the envelope.

_My dearest Christine,_

_I hope this brief missive finds you well. I have been an admirer of yours for some time and have greatly enjoyed your performances. You have a wonderful talent and I am convinced you will one day be a prima donna in the great opera houses of the world. It is my fondest hope that I may make your acquaintance in the near future. _

_Affectionately yours,_

_ED_

It was just one page, nothing on the back. _And who the hell is Ed_ Christine thought. _He said he's seen me perform, so he must be a student or teacher, or connected with the school somehow. How did he get my address? Why doesn't he just introduce himself to me? Is he shy? _And how did she even feel about this? Did she want some strange man leaving her roses and notes? She had to admit she _was_ a bit flattered. _And his handwriting is beautiful, which is highly unusual for a man._ _Judging by the wording and his penmanship, he most likely works at the school and is at least in his fifties, with gray hair and glasses. _She chuckled at the thought. But was this even wise? What if he's dangerous?

Christine sat pondering, rubbing Pinecone's stomach, and wondering what Megan would think of this. Her stomach growled and she realized she hadn't eaten anything since lunch. It was a little after 9:00, but she knew Fong's down the street was still open. She grabbed her purse and locked her door as she made her way down the stairs and to the street. There weren't too many people out at this time on a weeknight, so she knew she wouldn't have to worry about crowds. It took her about five minutes to walk down to Fong's, but she knew she was safe in this area because there were always a few people out walking and there were always cars on the street.

Sure enough, as she walked in the door, there was just one other customer that was in front of her placing an order. As she stepped up to order, she knew just what she wanted. "I'll have your chicken chow mein, broccoli beef, and a couple egg rolls."

"Good evening."

_That voice! _Christine looked to her right. "Good evening!" It was Erik. "I never expected to see you here!"

"Really? I think they've got the best Chinese food in town," he smiled.

"Yes, I think so, too." She was more than a little flustered. "Do you live near here?"

"No, but I don't mind driving in for good food."

_Of course he doesn't live in Chinatown! Duh! _She smiled through her blush, not sure what else to say. She was actually afraid that whatever else she said would come out sounding stupid, again.

"Going to the masquerade?" he asked casually.

"Oh, yes! Are you?" Christine asked, trying to control her nerves.

"Of course," he smiled again.

As his food was delivered, he paid his bill and turned to leave. "Nice seeing you again."

"You, too. Bye." Christine watched him exit the restaurant, her heart pounding. What kind of coincidence was _that? _Well, at least she found out he didn't live around here. No big surprise there.

She received her food and paid the bill. She returned home and prepared her plate, glad to have something on her stomach at last. She put on some music and thought about her latest encounter. She thought that as many people come and go throughout one's life every day, what are the chances that any one of them could come to mean anything to us? If she didn't work at Madame Wu's, would she have ever met Erik? And if she didn't perform, would her mystery man have ever taken notice of her? At least she now knew for certain that Erik would be at the masquerade, but then she wondered how she'd recognize him if everyone was wearing a mask. Would her letter-bearing mystery man also be there?

She was anxious to find out more about these men, but was still unsure. She definitely wanted to know Erik, but what if her mystery man was a creep? What if this was the beginning of a stalking? She decided she'd better get a grip because her imagination was now running wild. Chances were he was just a harmless instructor from the school about thirty years her senior.

She put everything away after she finished her dinner and remembered she hadn't checked messages. There were no voice mails, so she turned on her computer to check for e-mails and read the news headlines. Since she didn't watch that much television, her computer had become her only source of staying current. Her e-mail only contained a number of advertisements, so she deleted each one. As she turned her attention to the headline news, an instant message box suddenly appeared on her screen. It was quite unexpected since she hardly ever used that feature, even with Megan or Rick.

EDupont: Good evening, Christine.

Christine was shocked. ED -- was this the mystery man who'd been leaving the roses and the note? How did he get her e-mail address? Christine typed in her response.

AriaMaven: Who are you?

EDupont: I trust you received my note this evening?

AriaMaven: Yes, I did. How did you get my e-mail address?

EDupont: You listed your interests to include opera in your online profile. I simply got my information from that. I hope I didn't startle you or catch you at a bad time.

AriaMaven: Did you also leave the roses?

EDupont: Guilty.

AriaMaven: Thank you.

Christine thought about her suspicion that someone had been in her apartment and changed the rose in her vase, but she thought that might be going too far.

EDupont: You're welcome. You have a beautiful voice. I saw you perform in Faust last year.

AriaMaven: Who are you, and how did you get my address?

EDupont: Just a harmless secret admirer. Everyone's address is listed in the conservatory's directory.

AriaMaven: You know my name, so what is your name?

EDupont: You may call me ED for now.

AriaMaven: I seem to be at a disadvantage. What sort of work do you do?

EDupont: You could say I'm in the music business.

AriaMaven: Are you a performer?

EDupont: No, I compose, do soundtracks, that sort of thing.

AriaMaven: You said in your note you wanted to meet me. Why not just introduce yourself to me instead of going through all this?

EDupont: I'm shy. Actually, we are acquainted.

AriaMaven: I know you? Are you connected in some way to the conservatory?

EDupont: No, not directly anyway.

AriaMaven: So when am I supposed to meet you?

EDupont: At the masquerade.

AriaMaven: Who said I was going to be there?

EDupont: You've gone the last three years, so I just assumed you would go this year, too.

Christine was shocked again. Had he been watching her for four years?

AriaMaven: How long have you been watching me?

EDupont: Since you started at the conservatory. But please believe me when I say I'm harmless. I've been an admirer of your talent and only have your best interests at heart. If you ever want me to leave you alone, you'll never hear from me again.

His last words made Christine relax slightly. Surely he didn't mean any harm if he was so willing to make sure he didn't scare her.

AriaMaven: So I'll meet you at the masquerade? How will I recognize you?

EDupont: Don't worry, I'll find _you._

AriaMaven: But you don't know what costume I'll be wearing.

EDupont: I'll find you. Have faith.

Christine hesitated a moment. He wanted her to have faith in him and she didn't even know who he was. But he seemed okay so far, not some obsessed psycho.

EDupont:Christine?

AriaMaven: Okay.

EDupont: Goodnight, Christine.

AriaMaven: Goodnight, Ed.

And with that she signed off and turned off her computer. She sat back in her chair and sighed. This had to be the strangest conversation she'd ever had.

* * *

Erik had been completely caught off guard when he met Christine at Fong's. He had considered going into Madame Wu's, but then decided to just leave the note at her door instead and pick up some take-out before heading home. He had been so shaken that he hadn't even known what to say to her. He kicked himself because he'd blown such a perfect opportunity to talk to her. But when he saw her online, he couldn't resist. His explanation to her about finding her information online was plausible, certainly, but untrue. He'd actually gotten her e-mail address by hacking into the Philharmonic's database and accessing the de Chagny boy's e-mail account. 

Of course she didn't know that he and EDupont were one in the same at this point, but she would find out at the masquerade, which was now only a little over a week away. He'd make sure his costume would favorably attract her attention. He imagined the opportunity to dance with her in his arms. On this night of nights, he'd wear his mask like everyone else and approach her as a normal man. He would be more than ready for her.

He decided to take a shower before going to bed and gathered his robe, leaving his mask on the nightstand. He turned on the water and got undressed. The hot water felt wonderful. As he soaped his towel and scrubbed away the day's grime, he thought of Christine and how beautiful she looked tonight. She had seemed slightly flushed, but he thought it just brought out the color in her cheeks. He wondered what it would be like to gently stroke her face and gaze deeply into her eyes. He imagined his hands in her hair, and her face upturned towards his, her eyes closed… He imagined what it would be like to kiss those soft lips.

He had closed his eyes as he imagined this and he felt a warmth in his chest move down his body. He felt the hot water beat against his chest and only gradually realized that he had taken hold of himself and had been masturbating steadily. He groaned softly, breathing quickly and unable to stop. He held himself firmly and continued to move his hand back and forth rapidly until he reached his climax, his hips jerking convulsively as he forced the thick liquid from his body, the hot water washing away all evidence of his unrequited passion. He stroked himself until the last of his juices were spent. He leaned back against the wall of the shower and closed his eyes. He breathed in deeply. It had been months since he'd relieved himself.

_Christine…_


	7. Anticipation

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize. The copyright is simply to say that the story itself is mine, not the characters in it.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 7

Anticipation

"The Bal Masque is just a week away. Do you have your costume ready?" It was early Saturday evening and Amir was stirring a margarita concoction in his kitchen. Erik rarely visited him in his penthouse above the cultural district, but he was excited about his progress with Christine and needed to talk to someone about it. Amir wanted to make him feel welcome and offered to make him a recently discovered recipe for San Francisco's Ultimate Margarita. Together they had been on a quest to find the best margarita recipe since they found most to be lacking per their exacting standards.

"Yes, it's ready. Is yours?" Erik sat at the counter and watched Amir as he stirred the icy beverage in a tall pitcher.

"Yes, I think it's the best one yet. What are you going as?" Amir opened a cabinet and took out a couple of very modern margarita glasses.

"I want it to be a surprise. I'm hoping to make an impression," he smiled crookedly.

Amir ran a cut lime around the rims and dipped the glasses in salt. He gracefully poured the margarita in the glasses and handed one to Erik. "I promise I'll be impressed."

Erik took a sip. "Mmm…. I think I like your recipe better. This is still lacking something. Nice presentation, though. I was talking about Christine, clown."

"Have you thought about how you're going to find her among all those people?"

"After watching her for four years, I could find her no matter what she wore. I managed to find her at the previous masquerades after all."

"And how will you approach her?" Amir was very curious as to how Erik would go about romancing a woman since that was a side of him he'd never seen and that Erik had never talked about. He was quite certain Erik was not gay, but he had never shown the slightest interest in any woman during the whole of their eight-year acquaintance.

"I suppose I'll simply introduce myself and ask her to dance. I haven't really thought about it." Erik furrowed his brow. He supposed he'd better start thinking about it soon for he had no idea what he would say to her after introducing himself. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"You could offer her a drink. Asking questions is always a good idea." _This is going to be interesting_ Amir smiled to himself. "At least you can dance."

Erik took another sip of his margarita. "So what costume will you be wearing this year?"

Amir grinned. "You'll see it next Saturday, but I promise it won't be anything like last year's." Last year, although it had not been his intent, Amir had scared the hell out of Erik when he tapped his shoulder from behind dressed as the Shah of Mazanderan. As composed as Erik normally was, he had taken a quick step back and dropped his drink, staring at a masked man he knew to be dead. It had been all Amir could do to not burst out laughing for he'd never before seen Erik startled. Since then, he'd been waiting for Erik's pay back, which he knew would come when he least expected it.

Erik smiled at the memory. He was glad they had photographs commemorating the event. His was now framed and sitting in his bookcase, Amir as the Shah, and he as Stalin in full dress uniform. He thought it curious at the time that they should both come dressed as dictators.

Christine, on the other hand, had come as Marilyn Monroe, complete with blond wig and blood red lipstick, on the arm of that boy, Rick, dressed up as Howard Hughes. Erik had thought it terribly cliché, but it had earned a picture in the city's magazine, and even he had to admit they did indeed make a handsome couple. He thought it comical at the time that Stalin should be shadowing Marilyn Monroe at the masquerade. Neither she nor the boy had suspected, of course, but as he watched, he imagined what it might be like to be in the boy's place, attending a party with Christine, enjoying one another's company, just being with one another in public. These thoughts during the party, and afterwards in dreams, had sustained him until her next public appearance.

Erik and Amir retired to the living room for a vicious game of chess as they reminisced about old times. Amir had lately taken to pulling out all the stops in his attempt to beat Erik at last. Amir had always been an excellent player, but Erik's winning streak was too much. No one deserved to be that good. So in his spare time Amir had begun to study the game strategies of former chess masters. He had memorized all their moves and tricks, yet it seemed Erik was always several moves ahead of him. _Perhaps this is what comes of trying to go head to head with a genius_ he thought. Yet, if he had thought to ask, he would have learned that Erik had already consulted the books detailing the masters' strategies when they had first begun their weekly chess game years ago. Genius had nothing to do with it.

When their game finally ended a little after ten that evening, Erik was again the winner. "Next week, my place."

As Erik drove home, he thought about his long relationship with Amir and about how the man had stuck by him through so much, literally through life and death. Although Amir still had family in Iran, he had been forced to abandon them in order to keep them safe and alive due to his covert activities. Even now, he was unable to acknowledge that he had any family at all, and Erik, in effect, had become his family. _But at least you knew your family loved you_ Erik thought. As he returned to his apartment, he decided to write another note to Christine.

He finished the note by eleven o'clock and decided to see if Christine might be online. She was.

EDupont: Good evening, my dear.

AriaMaven: Good evening, Ed.

EDupont: Up rather late this evening, aren't we?

AriaMaven: I might say the same about you.

EDupont: Indeed. I wondered if you might have heard a new piece that's just come out called "An Overture for Mankind." Since you're a music major, I wondered what your opinion of it was.

AriaMaven: Were you at the lecture a few weeks ago? Dr. Khan from the Philharmonic gave it.

EDupont: The music director, I'm familiar with him. No, I didn't hear the lecture.

AriaMaven: He played it during his lecture and it was incredible! I've never been so moved by a piece before, and I'm sure I'll never hear anything like it again.

EDupont:So you liked it? What do you think it means?

AriaMaven: I loved it! Dr. Khan said it was the most significant piece that's been composed in over 500 years! Can you imagine that this was written in our lifetime? I think that's pretty exciting. They had a question and answer session after it was played and just about everybody felt the composer was paying tribute to mankind, his achievements and the promise for the future.

EDupont: Did you feel that way, too?

AriaMaven: No, but I think I was the only one who didn't. I thought the composer was talking about himself, not mankind.

EDupont: What do you mean?

AriaMaven: Well, I'm just basing this on how the music made me feel, and I felt that the composer was talking about his life, about what he's gone through, and what he hopes for.

EDupont: And what would that be?

AriaMaven: I think this composer's experienced incredible pain and sadness, more than anyone ever should, yet he yearns for beauty and happiness. I think he's got a beautiful soul and an incredible mind, and that he's probably a genius. And he sees and feels such beauty and wonder in the world that the vast majority of us don't. I believe this music is the heart and soul of this man.

Erik was stunned. No one had ever expressed this truth to him with such innocence and clarity. He was silent for a long while.

AriaMaven: Ed, are you still there?

EDupont: Sorry, just thinking.

AriaMaven: So what did you think the composer meant by this piece?

EDupont: I'd, uh, have to agree with your assessment. I also believe the composer was talking about himself.

AriaMaven: That's nice to hear. I think you're probably the only other one who thought so.

EDupont: It's difficult for many people to see the truth when faced with it. It's much easier for them to either believe what the crowd believes or to go with what's most obvious. You're very intuitive, Christine. That's admirable.

AriaMaven: Thank you. I wish it was on CD, I'd love to have it.

EDupont: Perhaps I could play it for you someday on the piano.

AriaMaven: You play the piano? I'd love that.

EDupont: Your wish is my command. Sweet dreams, _mon cheri._

AriaMaven: Goodnight, Ed.

Erik turned off his computer and turned to his CD library which contained thousands of recordings. He selected one CD and placed it in a case. He then wrapped it in a sheet of his stationery and sealed it with his initial in red wax. He would deliver it to Christine tonight, and she'll find it in the morning.

* * *

It was Sunday morning and Pinecone was meowing loudly in the living room. _I really don't appreciate this, you stupid cat. _Christine dragged herself out of bed. She treasured sleeping in on the weekends and Pinecone had ruined it. She knew she'd never get back to sleep now.

Pinecone was sniffing at something by the door, and as Christine approached, she saw that it was something that had been pushed under it. She picked it up and noticed the red wax D which sealed the contents. _Ed delivered something else to me. Now what?_

She carefully undid the seal and saw that it was a CD, not commercially made, but no doubt a home recording because there was no label on it. She placed it in her stereo and hit Play.

To her complete surprise, it was the fully orchestrated version of An Overture to Mankind. Christine thought that Ed had recorded himself playing the piece on his piano, but how had he gotten a copy of this? It's true he's in the music business, but how deep did his involvement go?

She turned on her computer and immediately added him onto her instant message contact list to see if he was online. He wasn't. She hoped he would be on later so she could ask him about it. She decided to leave her computer on just in case.

* * *

Erik opened his eyes to muted sunlight coming through his drapes. It was overcast with a hint of rain in the air. Anubis lay on the bed next to him, a black puddle in a sea of ivory. He thought it'd be a nice day to go for a walk along Fisherman's Wharf. He didn't usually go out there because of the tourists and the usual crowd, but with the weather as overcast as it was, he thought it would be the perfect opportunity.

He got dressed at a leisurely pace and prepared a light breakfast of toast and orange juice as he skimmed the morning paper. He looked through the Arts and Living section and noticed a large section devoted to the upcoming Bal Masque. Proceeds would go to the local children's hospital and a large donation by the de Chagny Foundation was also mentioned. Erik wondered if Rick de Chagny had tried to rekindle his relationship with Christine. If he was in Rick's place, Erik knew he'd never rest until Christine was his again. Since Christine was no longer with the de Chagny boy, Erik was determined to do everything in his power to make her fall in love with him. But he knew this would require subtlety so as not to scare her away.

He went to his closet and retrieved his hooded coat. He would deliver his latest letter to Christine this morning to further pique her curiosity. By the time the Bal Masque rolled around, she would be more than anxious to meet him.

* * *

Erik drove to Christine's apartment and parked a little way down from Madame Wu's. He was sure Christine was home. As he ascended the steps and quietly approached her apartment, he could hear his overture playing from inside. Perhaps Christine was in her living room at this very moment listening. He went to the end of the hall and unlocked the supply closet, leaving the door open slightly. He removed the letter from his breast pocket and quietly slipped it under her door.

* * *

Christine was lying down on her couch, listening to the overture as it washed over her. Her eyes were closed and she hoped she'd be able to get a few more minutes shut eye. Her head was turned towards the entry, and when she opened her eyes slightly, she saw an envelope silently being pushed under her door. She was immediately awake and bolted from the couch. She snatched up the envelope and fumbled with the chain lock on her door, trying to get it open. Ed was just on the other side of her door and she wanted to see this mystery man face to face. She threw the door open and took a step into the hallway, looking both ways down the hall. It was empty.

As she stood there, she noticed that the envelope in her hand was still warm, as though it had been in someone's pocket. He couldn't have gotten far. As she looked down the hall, she noticed the supply closet and started walking toward it.

Erik saw her approaching from the peep hole and continued to gaze at her.

Christine stood in front of the supply closet. She took hold of the door knob and turned it. It was locked. She thought she'd try and knock. "Hello, is somebody in there?" she asked softly, not wanting to disturb her neighbors on a Sunday morning. Of course there was no reply, and she felt rather foolish talking into a closet. She straightened up and looked around to make sure no one had observed her strange behavior, and she simply turned and walked back into her apartment, locking the door and replacing the chain lock.

Inside the supply closet, Erik sighed. When he felt the coast was clear, he silently left the building and walked to his car. He was looking forward to walking along Fisherman's Wharf again.

* * *

Christine went into her kitchen and put on a pot of hot water. Sleep was out of the question now after that bit of excitement, so she'd meet the morning with some instant hot chocolate. When the water came up to boil, Christine got down her favorite mug, a thick ironstone mug given to her by her godmother, Mrs. Valerius. As she stirred the hot water and cocoa, she thought about her parents and Mrs. Valerius and remembered the Christmases they shared. Although she had been an only child, her family had seemed so complete then, and she was never happier. She thought about how much she loved and missed them. It was hard to believe it had already been three years since that terrible accident. She would probably spend this Christmas with Megan and her mother. _At least I won't be alone. _

Christine's mind began to wander and she recalled a pair of golden eyes and a mask. _I wonder what Erik's doing right now? Why couldn't I meet him at the Bal instead of Ed? But how would I even find him among thousands of people? Talk about a needle in a haystack. I thought he'd call the store by now or maybe even come in, but he hasn't come back. Just listen to me, as though he's got nothing better to do with his life than wander around Chinatown…_

When her chocolate was ready, she brought it over to the coffee table and set it down as she prepared to read Ed's latest letter. Again she noticed her name on the envelope in beautiful script. As she tried to pry open the seal, she tried to think about this logically. _He says I know him and he wants to meet me at the masquerade, but I still don't understand why he has to go through all this. I can't believe he's just shy. All I know is that he's in the music business, but I don't even know how old he is, but I'll be sure to ask him next time. He obviously wants to be more than just friends, but what if he's not my type and I don't like him? Maybe I'm just getting ahead of myself. He seems nice so far, so now what? _She removed the letter from the envelope and several red rose petals fell out.

_Well, he at least he has style _she thought.

_My dearest Christine,_

_I hope you enjoy the recording. It is truly a pleasure to know that you have such great appreciation for music and also understand its nuances. I find such rare insight to be quite attractive. _

_The Bal Masque fast approaches and yet not soon enough. Many times have I seen you on stage and have longed to speak with you, but could not, for surely an angel of music such as yourself would not deign to speak to this mere mortal man. I have admired you from afar since you first graced the halls of the Garnier Music Conservatory, but soon you will graduate and be lost to me. I cannot have you pass out of my life without even attempting to know you, my dear Christine. It is my fondest hope that we may become better acquainted, at your discretion, of course._

_I will write once more before the Bal Masque and hope to see you online until then. But before I take my leave, close your eyes, mon cheri, and imagine that I gently kiss your hand before I depart._

_Eternally yours,_

_ED_

Christine stared at the letter for a long time. _He certainly has a way with words, _she thought. Gradually, she began to realize that she felt a little warm, and it wasn't due to the hot chocolate.


	8. Confusion

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize. The copyright is simply to say that the story itself is mine, not the characters in it.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers.To my wonderful story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith, my heartfelt thanks, you're lifesavers. And a special thank you to Sapphire Lupe.

Chapter 8

Confusion

It was chilly and overcast around the area of Fisherman's Wharf. Erik loved it like this because it was one of the few times he felt comfortable going out during the day. With the hood pulled up on his coat, it was easy to hide his mask and not be stared at. As he had surmised, the area was fairly deserted with the advent of rain, although the businesses were still open. The business owners hated the weather that kept their customers away.

Erik decided to catch an early lunch and walked over to one of his favorite seafood restaurants, The Rusty Scupper. He sat at a secluded booth in a corner and ordered one of their specialties, New England clam chowder. As he gazed out the window, he noticed how the sea gulls would fly in when there was a storm out at sea. He could see the waves under his window as they flowed past the pylons under the restaurant. He felt very cozy sitting there. He wondered what Christine was doing now. What was her reaction when she read his letter? He had anticipated her opening her door if she saw him pushing the letter under it, and he'd barely had enough time to jump in the supply closet and lock it. He'd have to be very careful from now on if he intended to leave her anything else, and he did.

As he concentrated on his clam chowder, he hadn't noticed the two men sitting in the next booth over until he heard a part of their conversation.

"…Christine's apartment. She'll never know."

"But why even bother? You know every available woman there's going to have her sights on us. You can't beat money, power and good looks."

"I don't care about them, I just want Christine. If I can offer to drive her home, maybe I can be her knight in shining armor again. I know she still loves me, and if she invites me in, maybe I'll get lucky."

Erik knew that voice. It was that de Chagny boy, and he was making plans about his Christine! Erik's insides twisted and his first impulse was to grab that insolent brat by the throat and make him wish he'd never heard of Christine. But instead, he sat there fully alert so he could hear what the boy's plans were.

"Maybe you should leave well enough alone. Your parents and mine wanted us to find someone that was more like us. And besides, how do you know she's still available? Maybe she's found someone else by now. She's not bad looking, you know."

So the other man was his friend, not a relative. No matter…

"No, not Christine, it's still too soon. I was her first real boyfriend."

"Really? You mean she was a virgin?"

"Yeah, I always thought I'd marry her."

Erik's hands twisted roughly in his napkin as he imagined wringing the boy's neck.

"I don't think I've ever had a virgin."

"I never thought of it that way, I really loved her. I could have spent the rest of my life with her."

As much as Erik could have hated him, he could hear the sincerity in his voice. Why _did _Christine leave him? She could have been rich and never worked another day in her life. And the boy had the one thing Erik knew he could never offer her – a handsome face. And yet Christine had turned away from it. Was it possible that money and appearances didn't matter to her as much as it did to most people? Could he even hope for such a thing from his angel?

The two men paid their bill and left. Erik sat there for a while longer, thinking about what he'd heard. By the time he got up to leave, the faintest flicker of hope began to grow in his heart.

* * *

It was the afternoon by the time Erik returned home and it had finally started raining in earnest. He lit a fire in the fireplace and turned on his computer. He then put on some soft jazz and made a drink. As he stared out to sea, he thought of how beautiful the ocean looked when the skies were so dark and foreboding. He wondered if there would be thunder and lightening tonight. He loved to darken his apartment and just watch the light show during a thunderstorm.

A tone sounded on his computer signaling that someone had sent him an instant message. That could only mean Amir or Christine. It was Christine.

AriaMaven: Good evening, Ed. Are you there?

EDupont: Good evening, mon cheri. Enjoying the rain?

AriaMaven: Yes, I love the rain. I received your letter.

EDupont: I know you did.

AriaMaven: Were you watching me?

EDupont: I prefer not to answer that at this time.

AriaMaven: May I ask you a question?

EDupont: You may ask me anything you like, my dear. But I cannot guarantee an answer.

AriaMaven: How old are you?

EDupont: I am 35.

_Well, so much for old and gray. _

AriaMaven: Where do I know you from?

EDupont: That will become clear in time.

AriaMaven: Can we talk about your letter?

EDupont: Of course.

AriaMaven: You said you didn't want me to pass out of your life. Why not?

EDupont:Because I've watched you perform and develop your talent for almost four years. During that time, I felt that I'd gotten to know you somewhat, even though we'd never met, but you are truly beautiful, Christine, inside and out. I've learned that you are a generous and loving soul, and your goodness shines as a light in the world. I would like very much to be a part of that light.

AriaMaven: And what if I decide that's not what I want?

EDupont: Then I will forever treasure the moment we did have, and you will never hear from me again. Will you still meet with me?

Christine thought about this for awhile before answering, weighing her options. She really knew nothing about this person. She could be putting herself in danger, or at least in a bad situation. On the other hand, perhaps he was the man of her dreams. _Yeah, right._

Erik held his breath, everything came down to this moment. With just a word, Christine could break his heart into a million pieces.

Christine imagined numerous scenarios, the best, the worst, horrific, comical… Did she really want to do this? What if he was a stalker? Being watched for four years _was_ pretty creepy. Did she really want this?

About a minute passed. Erik was starting to feel concerned.

EDupont: Christine, are you there?

He could tell she was still online, she just wasn't answering. He waited another minute, becoming nervous.

EDupont: Please respond, cheri.

Suddenly, he noticed that she was no longer online. Christine had in effect hung up.

_No… NO! What does this mean? Did she not want to meet me? Did I scare her away? _Erik stood and stared at the screen. He began to pace, running a hand through his hair, his heart was pounding. _What did I do? _He glanced again at the computer. She didn't come back.

Erik picked up his glass and hurled it at the wall, shattering it and sending Anubis scrambling for shelter in the bedroom. Erik felt his world closing in around him. _This can't be over…not yet! _He paced the room, hands fisted in his hair, trying to understand what had just happened.

* * *

Christine sat back in her chair, staring at the computer, wondering what she needed to do. She knew she shouldn't have left Ed hanging, but she truly didn't know what to say. She was curious about him, certainly, but did she want to take a chance with some strange man that had been watching her for four years? He obviously wanted to get closer to her, but what if he was her worst nightmare? There were certainly plenty of reasons _not_ to meet him, yet that didn't seem right either._ Why? Should I take a chance and go for it, or would that be stupid? I need Megan._

* * *

It was still early evening and she was totally free tonight, so Megan felt like making this night special. This was the perfect night to pamper herself. She loved hearing the rain beat down on the roof when it was raining hard like this, and occasionally she'd hear the boom of thunder. She smiled as she hurriedly gathered her supplies from the kitchen and prepared a large tray of her favorite snacks and beverages. She brought it into her bedroom and then walked into her closet to change. An oversized tee shirt that fell to mid-thigh and her fuzzy slippers were just what the doctor ordered. Finally, she placed the food tray and various remote controls around herself on the bed so she could get cozy and have all her favorite things within easy reach. _Now this is the life! _And the last order of business was to pick out her favorite DVDs to round out the evening. She could hardly wait.

She selected a romantic comedy and a horror movie and was just about to put in the horror movie when the doorbell rang. Irritated, she shifted herself off the bed to get the door. _Who the hell could be calling in this weather? This had better be important._

"Christine?" Megan couldn't believe Christine would be out on a night like this looking for all the world like a drowned rat.

"Hi, Sis. I'm really sorry to bother you on a Sunday night, but I really needed to talk and it couldn't wait. Do you have some time?" Christine held out a large bag of fast food as consolation.

Megan could smell the hamburgers and French fries and could feel her mouth starting to water. She took the bag and they walked to her bedroom. Christine saw that Megan had been prepared to hunker down for what looked like a siege. Christine removed her shoes and wet coat and climbed up onto the bed next to her.

As they broke out the greasy food and Megan immediately dug in, Christine knew this had been the right thing to do. She spent the better part of the next half hour telling her about Erik and the mysterious Ed.

Megan sat listening in rapt attention, breaking eye contact only to occasionally take another bite of her hamburger or French fries with ketchup or take a sip of her vanilla shake. "So this Erik is the guy you saw at Gaston's that day you broke up with Rick? And he wears a mask on half his face? Well, then you know it's probably because he has to. I mean, I'm sure he's not wearing it because he likes it, right? And then you saw him at the store?"

"Yes, and he was_ gorgeous!_ I swear he had this way about him that I can't even describe, you just had to see him. He was dressed all in black and he looked just like one of those guys who could kill you as soon as look at you, but his face was _beautiful_, what I could see of it anyways. And his eyes…oh my god. And his voice was hypnotic…it was beautiful. I've never had a reaction like this to anyone before, and when he accidentally touched my hand, I swear it was electric. And just before he left, when he looked at me, I could have sworn there was something there…like a connection maybe. But then he hasn't come back into the store or called about the music boxes. I did run into him once at Fong's and he asked if I was going to the Bal Masque, and then he left. What do you think?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to say if you've only seen him those two times, and it's not like you had a chance to sit down and talk. If he hasn't called or come in, the ball's really in his court, don't you think?"

Christine looked deflated. "Yeah, I guess so. All I know about him is that he doesn't live in Chinatown, he likes Chinese, and he's going to the Bal Masque."

"Well, don't worry, hon. Miracles happen every day." Megan sympathized with her because it didn't sound as though this Erik was particularly interested in her. Helping a customer make a purchase didn't usually leave a lasting impression with most people.

"He's probably already got someone, he's too perfect not to," Christine murmured.

"What about this other guy, Ed? What's up with him?" Megan wanted to get Christine's mind off Erik.

"Well, he's been leaving roses and letters at my door, and I talk to him online sometimes. He seems nice, but then I find out he's been watching me for the last four years! I think that's pretty creepy. And every time I ask him about how he knows about me, he's always got an answer. He says I know him, but he won't tell me who he is yet, and he wants to meet me at the Bal Masque. Here are the letters he's written me. He slips them under the door."

Christine got the letters out and showed them to Megan. She read them over quietly, taking her time, before saying anything.

She handed the letters back. "What do you think he wants?"

"He says he wants to get to know me before I graduate and disappear, but he leaves it up to me on how close we get. What do you think? Should I meet him, or do you think this is a bit too weird?"

Megan was thoughtful for awhile as she munched on some French fries. Christine knew better than most how crazy Megan could get, but she was probably one of the few who also knew that Megan was extremely insightful when it came to relationships. If Megan ever settled down enough to make time for someone, she knew Megan would make someone a wonderful wife.

"There's always the chance he could be a stalker and you'll be looking out for that, but has Ed ever said or done anything to make you uncomfortable?"

"Well, yeah, he's been watching me for almost four years without me knowing about it!"

"But you weren't uncomfortable with it until you knew he'd done it. And the only reason he told you was because you're close to graduating. Right?"

"Well, yeah." Christine knew she wasn't crazy. She had a reason for being uncomfortable with this.

"And he's left you roses and a couple notes. Did the notes say anything you didn't like or that made you feel creepy?"

"Well, I liked the roses, and it was flattering to get the notes. They were nice."

"When you spoke with him online, did he ever say anything that scared you or made you feel uncomfortable?"

"Well, no, not really. I mean, I asked a lot of questions, but he had a reasonable answer for each one, like how he got my e-mail address, my home address, and why he was doing all this."

"Okay, so what's the problem?" Megan looked at her as though this were the most obvious thing in the world.

"He's been watching me for four years without my knowledge! And now he wants to meet me!"

Megan took a sip of her glacier water. "Let's look at this from his point of view. He said he watched you instead of introducing himself because he was shy. Why would anyone be that shy? You said he's intelligent, so what else could it be? You said he's 35? He's not that old, but maybe he's not very good looking and he's self-conscious. Maybe he's disabled, or not very well off. Would those things bother you?"

Christine looked shocked. "No, of course not! I mean, who wouldn't want a rich guy who looks like a Greek god, but I've already been there, remember? And I've found that that's not all there is. I'd just like to be with someone that I can be passionate about, and he doesn't have to be rich or handsome or even in full possession of all his limbs! The most important thing to me is that he's _all that_ in _my _eyes and in _my_ heart."

At this point, Megan grinned. Christine was confused. "What?"

"Well, _Ms. Thing,_ he hasn't done anything to make you feel uncomfortable, he's intelligent, he's fairly young, he's able to climb the stairs and get away without the aid of a walker or wheelchair, and he's able to get you a CD that hasn't even been released yet. I think we can assume he's not destitute or infirm. And from where I sit, all I can see is a guy who's done everything in his power to show you he cares by bringing you flowers, writing beautiful notes, and giving you something rare that you said you wanted. And he probably has a reason for being shy. Now the only thing left are his looks. I really doubt he'll be a Freddy Krueger, but if he's your average John Doe, would that be enough for you?"

By this time, even Christine was smiling. "Yes, he'd be enough."

"Yes!" Megan was ecstatic. "Great! Now, do you want to watch Pretty Woman or The Exorcist?"

* * *

Christine had opted to watch The Exorcist with her best friend and helped herself to a hamburger, fries, and a shake, as well as numerous other goodies from the tray. She felt absolutely light-hearted now and was grateful to Megan for helping her through this quandary. The Bal Masque would be in six more days. She was finally starting to feel the excitement and nerves that come from the anticipation of dressing to impress someone. She and Megan had commissioned the help of some friends to finish their costumes. They would look somewhat similar, but would mainly differ in the colors and themes. The most striking part of their costumes would be their wings and make-up. Megan had pictures of a New York art exhibition that included numerous live models dressed as mythological creatures and would be borrowing from their look. She knew they'd be the hit of the party!

As Christine drove home after the movie, she was anxious to get online to tell Ed she'd meet him. Megan had been right. Ed had only done everything to show he cared and had never done anything threatening. She had just let her imagination run away with her. She'll meet him at the Bal Masque and get to know him like anyone else. She expected him to be rather plain if he was so shy he'd opt to watch her for four years as opposed to meeting her, but it seemed he had the heart and soul of a poet. By the time she reached her door, she had good feelings about Ed. But before she was able to put her key in the door, she noticed another rose tied with a black ribbon on the floor.

She looked at it and noticed its fragrance. She again wondered why Ed's roses were far more fragrant than most others. Automatically, she looked down the hall to the storage closet. It had rained quite hard, but she noticed there were no wet footprints on the carpet other than her own. If he had come in the front door, how would that be possible? She opened her door and locked it behind her. As had become her habit, she discarded the old rose, saving the black ribbon, and placed the new one in the vase.

She thought his comings and goings were unsettling because she never saw him, only evidence that he'd been there. Yet it wasn't threatening, he had left her a gift. So why did it still make her nervous? _Because he could be watching me at this very moment coming home and going into my apartment._ Christine tried to think about the talk she'd had with Megan. She wanted to remember the reasons she'd felt Ed wasn't creepy anymore, but found she was still struggling with it. She'd told Megan that _he looked like he could kill you and not give it a second thought. _

_Stop it, Christine! You're letting your imagination go crazy again. GET REAL! _She decided she needed to take a bath and relax. She was starting to feel confused again.

She drew a hot bath and poured some fragrant bath oil into the water. The hot water felt wonderful and she felt her anxieties melt away. She felt she was able to think clearer now as she soaked. She closed her eyes and breathed in the herbal fragrance. _He left you a gift. He always takes the thorns out and he ties a ribbon around it. That's pretty special. _

Her mind started drifting with the hot water and she remembered a time not long ago when she and Rick would cuddle amidst the bubbles in the large tub in his apartment. It was one of the things she missed about him. The hot water was very soothing, and she noticed the softening oils also made her skin a little slick. Her hand had been resting next to her thigh, but now she brought it between her legs and felt herself. _Slick._ It felt nice, and she continued to gently rub the hood that covered the center of her passion. She brought her other hand up and slowly began to rub the tip of her nipple. _Very nice._ She arched her back slightly and rubbed a little faster. Her breathing had started to become shallow and the muscles of her body tightened. Her eyes were closed tightly and she leaned her head back farther. _Here it comes… _

* * *

Erik had spent the better part of the evening looking out the window at the storm and pacing. He'd been too agitated to sit for long and he had no desire to go out in the rain. About an hour after he'd spoken with Christine online, he had called his friend in Chinatown for a favor. Evan Fong was the grandson of Madame Wu, and Evan had been very helpful to him from time to time. On this night, Erik had asked him to deliver a rose to Christine, and because of his proximity from the restaurant, knew it would be no problem. Like Erik, Evan was one of the few people in the city who knew about the abandoned pre-earthquake tunnels under Chinatown. Many of them were destroyed or were too dangerous to traverse, but a good many were still passable. One of those ran directly beneath the restaurant and Madame Wu's Antique Shop. It probably took all of five minutes to walk from Fong's to the antique shop and up to Christine's apartment.

Erik was now on his fourth drink. He normally had no more than one drink a night if that, but after the night's events, he felt he needed to feel its calming effects before he smashed every glass in his extensive kitchen.

He'd walked away from his computer after Christine had signed off, but now he heard the tone signaling an instant message. He walked over and saw that it was Christine.

AriaMaven: Hello, Ed? Are you there?

He gave it a few moments and then answered.

EDupont: Hello, Christine.

AriaMaven: I'm sorry I signed off the way I did. Please forgive me, that was rude.

EDupont: Why did you sign off?

AriaMaven:I guess I was confused. I don't know you and I was a little scared. I wasn't sure if I wanted to meet you. I'm sorry.

Erik closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After a moment, he continued.

EDupont: I'd never do anything to hurt you, Christine, and I forgive you. I hope you're feeling better now.

AriaMaven: Yes, I am. Thank you.

EDupont: Are you ready to answer my question now?

AriaMaven: Yes.

EDupont: And what is your answer, mon ange?

AriaMaven: Yes, I'll meet with you.


	9. The Last Note

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize. The copyright is simply to say that the story itself is mine, not the characters in it.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 9

The Last Note

Erik's heart exploded with relief. _Thank you, thank you…_

EDupont: I look forward to it.

AriaMaven: Would you like to meet at a specific location at a certain time?

EDupont: That won't be necessary. I'll find you.

AriaMaven: But you won't know what I'll look like or where I'll be.

EDupont: Don't worry, cheri. I'll find you. I will always find you.

Considering the fact that there would be thousands of masked revelers in attendance over a very large area, this seemed highly unreasonable, but Christine thought his confidence and mystery were rather intriguing.

AriaMaven: May I ask you a question, Ed?

EDupont: Of course.

AriaMaven: What is your real name?

EDupont: You will know it when we meet, mon cheri.

AriaMaven: Okay.

EDupont: Goodnight, Christine.

AriaMaven: Goodnight, Ed.

Erik felt lighter than he had all night. He walked over to the window and looked out at the city lights and noticed that it all looked different now. Everything looked beautiful.

_

* * *

Wednesday, three days before the Bal Masque_

At the Philharmonic's monthly staff meeting, all of the senior staff were gathered in the conference room to discuss current and upcoming projects. Each of the departments had their materials and status reports spread out on the table prepared to give an update and to receive new assignments.

Amir was there to report that he and the resident composer had completed work on three soundtracks and were developing a program for the Christmas gala. The current opera at the Phil was scheduled to continue through November, and in December would be replaced by another, for which the music was already prepared. Among the new assignments were sound tracks for five projects due in two to three months. Amir knew the project roster sometimes included even more new projects in even shorter time frames, but Erik always seemed to take it all in stride when most opera houses would have torn their hair out trying to meet such unreasonable demands. Yet Erik seemed to be a veritable fountain of new ideas, constantly on the cutting edge of new trends in music, always a few steps ahead of everyone else. Amir marveled at Erik's musical diversity.

He noticed that Rick de Chagny was at the meeting with his supervisor to give a final report on the status of the Bal Masque. Although the Cultural District encompassed several square blocks, its heart was naturally called the Music Center and was considered to be the area bordered by the Philharmonic and three other theaters situated around an enormous plaza, capable of comfortably holding thousands. During a gala or special event, enormous flags and vertical banners would be suspended at the entrances to the Music Center and bordering boulevards and the plaza would be decorated with twinkling lights in the trees, outdoor heaters for everyone's comfort, a large wooden dance floor for revelers, and a large raised platform for entertainment and live music. Beverages and gourmet finger foods were served by roving waiters, and everything would have a Halloween theme. Photographers would be available and tasteful souvenirs sold, and at the end of the evening would be the Halloween balloon drop over the dance floor. Everything was ready and nothing had been overlooked to ensure everyone's enjoyment and safety.

The staff was excited not only over the culmination of months of planning, but also for the opportunity to dress up in disguise and show out. At $100 per ticket, no expense had been spared on food or decoration, and the monies going toward the children's hospital was expected to bring in enough to add a new and much needed cancer wing. The mayor and city council worked closely with the Philharmonic because they had realized early on the vast fund raising potential. Unlike many metropolitan cities, the performing arts were highly regarded in San Francisco and promising new talent frequently made its way there before attempting the daunting entertainment industry of New York or Los Angeles. New talent had often been discovered at city sponsored parties such as this one.

Amir went up to Erik's apartment after the meeting to deliver the projects and found him at his desk for once instead of in his studio. He had just sealed an envelope with red wax when Amir entered.

"It's a beautiful day, is it not, mon ami?" Erik asked with a smile.

Amir just looked at him. "Let me guess. Christine."

"She agreed to meet me at the Bal Masque."

Amir took at seat at the kitchen counter. "Does she know it's you?"

"Not exactly. She knows I'm the one that left the roses and the notes, but she doesn't know that I'm the one with this." He gestured to his mask. "But it won't matter, because everyone will have one. Speaking of which, will you be taking a date?"

"No, I'm going by myself and see what I can get into. I hear Gaston's will be catering this year."

"It's great advertising. I just hope they have the wasabi crusted ahi tuna."

After another hour Erik decided it was time to visit Madame Wu's again. He made his way down to his car and drove past Madame Wu's to make sure Christine was working and then parked down the street. He left the note under her door before going back to the antique shop. He entered the store and the door chimes sounded as he walked in. He decided to browse this time instead of heading straight to the music boxes.

As he paused at a porcelain display, he noticed Christine approach out of the corner of his eye.

Christine had seen him the moment he walked in. _God, he looks great._ She noticed he was wearing his mask and his signature black – sports coat, dress pants, shoes, and turtleneck, and he had a blood red scarf tied around his neck. _Oh yeah…. _She hoped her smile didn't look exaggerated. "Hi, Erik, how are you today? Can I help you find something? Music boxes?"

He looked over at her and smiled. God how he loved her smile, she was beautiful. _She wore her hair down today._ "I was noticing some of your porcelain, it's very beautiful, and your statuary. I'd like to purchase a couple pieces and look at some more music boxes."

_That voice… _Christine was glad she'd be able to show him around the store this time. It'd give her time to subtly flirt and let him know she was interested. Megan had always told her she was too shy for her own good when it came to men. Although Christine had had her fair share of dates, she'd never really met anyone she wanted to pursue in that way, until now. She wasn't even sure what it was about Erik that she found so appealing. His voice certainly, but it was more than the fact that he was physically attractive. She could tell he was very intelligent, but he also seemed to have an aura of power and unpredictability, even danger perhaps. Whereas Rick was an open book, Erik was a vault.

Christine couldn't help but smile nonstop and was glad she could explain their extensive collection of antique porcelain and china. She'd read up on it beforehand, so she knew she'd sound reasonably knowledgeable. She was about to move on to the music boxes when Erik had stopped short before a small display case.

"What do we have here?"

_Oh no!_ He had stopped before a display case of miniature nude porcelain figures. Christine could feel herself starting to blush furiously before she'd even stopped walking. "Those are antique erotic figurines. They were made in the 1930's and 40's."

There were about a dozen pairs of porcelain figures, each depicted in various sexual positions. They were beautifully hand painted, and to Christine's mortification, were fitted and anatomically correct to the smallest detail. "Could I see those two?" Erik had pointed to one pair that showed a man and woman copulating in the missionary position, the woman's legs raised up. The other pair was of the man approaching the woman from the rear.

As Christine unlocked the case, she noticed that the figures he had chosen seemed more delicately depicted than the others. Rather than being in the throes of an animal passion that bordered on the acrobatic, these figures were in the midst of making passionate love. She carefully lifted the figures out and noticed that her hands were shaking. All thoughts of flirting had disappeared. As she held them out, she fervently hoped Erik wouldn't notice.

As he took them from her hands, he looked them over carefully. Christine could feel herself become even warmer when she saw that he had disengaged each set and was now looking at them individually. It was clear the male figures had a penis that fit snugly into the female, which now had an empty cavity between her legs. Erik seemed to study them almost clinically and then combined them once again. "I'll take these."

Christine carefully placed them in a padded box and then gratefully walked him over to the music boxes, noticing that she was still quite warm and her hands were still shaking. There were a number of new music boxes and Erik again looked over each one. He selected one of the music boxes as well as a beautiful porcelain food platter. As Christine added up the total she expected him to write her a check and thought she'd then be able to finally find out where he lived, but to her surprise, he again paid in cash although the total was over $400.

"Thank you," she smiled. "Come back and see us again." As she handed him the bag with his purchases, his hand lightly brushed hers before grasping the handle. She looked him in the eye and was again captured by his amber eyes and beautiful smile. It seemed she was looking at him longer than she intended, yet she couldn't look away.

"Thank you," he smiled. _That beautiful perfect smile…_

Christine stared after him as he left, the chimes signaling his departure. Christine breathed in deeply, trying to calm down. _Why does my brain go dead whenever I'm around him? And I _still_ didn't get any information about him! Shit! _

* * *

Erik drove home and unpacked his purchases. He really liked the music box and platter, and decided he'd have Amir over for dinner next week so he could show him his find. When he got to the two pairs of figurines, he looked them over and decided to place them on the bookcase in his bedroom. In a few hours, Christine would get off work and she would find his letter under her door. _I wonder what her reaction will be? Perhaps she'll be online tonight. _

* * *

It was 9:00 and Christine was closing up the store. This had been a pretty good evening, especially with Erik's purchases. She could still feel herself getting warm again just thinking about his interest in the figurines and her having to hand them over. _At least I've found out a couple more things about him, _she thought. _He's well off if he can plop down $400 for antiques, and he must have a healthy libido to want two sets of those figurines. Well, that's good. Now, if only I could find him at the masquerade and get his attention. But to be honest, he still didn't seem especially interested in me. _Christine had to admit her infatuation was probably all one sided and in her own mind. _I should just forget him, someone like that could never be interested in someone like me. _

_Well, there's still Ed. I'll meet him at the Bal Masque and he'll probably be some plain, geeky-looking composer. Well, at least _somebody's_ interested in me. _

As she climbed the stairs to her apartment, she noticed a letter stuck under her door. She picked it up and noticed the flowing script. As she entered her apartment, Pinecone stared at her from her perch atop the back of the couch. Christine got out some cat food and Pinecone immediately started in on it. Christine settled herself comfortably on the couch and looked over the letter. She thought back to her conversation the other night with Megan. Dear sweet Megan, what would she do without her? She carefully undid the wax seal and took the letter from the envelope. Again there were red rose petals that fell out onto her lap, and the distinct fragrance of…_something._ Christine still couldn't place the fragrance, but she knew it had to be some men's cologne. Her curiosity piqued, she was determined to find out what fragrance this was.

She carefully unfolded the letter and started reading…

_My dearest Christine,_

_This will be my final letter to you before the Bal Masque. I've so enjoyed our conversations over the web and getting to know you in this manner. _

_I will never forget the day I first saw you…on stage with a voice as incredible and as otherworldly as that of an angel. You were absolutely enchanting, and not your voice alone, but all of you. _

_I wish to know you, Christine, for you are one who has touched my heart and soul. In my life I have known happiness and sadness, good and evil, beauty and ugliness, truth and deceit, grandeur and horror. All this have I seen and more, and yet in all this world it is you who give me hope. _

_I look forward to meeting you, mon ange, and pray I do not disappoint. But I make this promise: if you wish it, I remain your obedient servant. But if you do not, I will be out of your life forevermore._

_Eternally yours,_

_ED_

She sat there staring at the letter, at his words and then at his signature, wondering what manner of man was he that he could write a letter such as this. She leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes, breathing deeply, deep in thought. She would see him in three days. With words as beautiful as these, it was hard to believe he was the same composer geek she'd imagined earlier. As she sat pondering, she noticed the area around her heart felt warm and full, as though she were on the verge of something wonderful. _But why should I feel this way? What's changed between yesterday and today? Ed's still the same guy I've been IM'ing and who's been leaving me roses and notes. Why's it different now? Has he suddenly turned into Prince Charming? _Right.

_No, I'll just meet him at the masquerade in his little costume and be nice to him. I'm not going to expect much because why else would he watch me for four years instead of meet me face to face? He's probably a nice, average looking guy that's got nothing else going on in his life, otherwise, why would he be IM'ing me? Right, he's got no life, so he IM's people, and he's got the time to write beautiful notes and leave roses at my door. Why should I expect anything more, because I'll only be disappointed when he turns out to be Megan's average John Doe. _

_

* * *

Friday, the evening before the Bal Masque._

"Wow, that's a helluva letter, kiddo. And it even smells good." Megan returned it to its envelope and handed it back to Christine. "What do you think of Ed John Doe now?"

"Well, I told him I'd meet him, but he didn't say where or when, so I don't know when or if he'll even find me. But he seems to think he will, so I'm just not going to worry about it. And that cologne you smell is French, it's called Le Fantome. I found out that it's _really_ expensive, not the sort of thing we'd ever be around. But I'm not getting my hopes up because if he'd rather watch me for four years rather than meet me, and then go through all this, then he must not have a life, right?"

Megan looked thoughtful. "Well, if you ask me, you don't know what you don't know."

Christine stopped and looked at her. "Now what the hell does _that_ mean?"

Megan started fiddling with her costume. "Oh, nothing. Hungry?"

Christine just looked at her. "Okay, spill it. What did you mean?"

Megan sat down on the bed and innocently leaned back on her hands. "All I'm saying is that you should at least give him a chance. If it turns out he looks like your average John Doe, he might still have a great personality and you won't worry about how he looks. Or maybe he'll be your average John Doe with an average personality that doesn't exactly ring your chimes, but at least you gave it your best shot. But if you go in there thinking he's going to be a disappointment no matter what, then you're not even giving yourself a chance. I've found that most people have something to offer if you can just keep an open mind."

Christine was amazed. "Megan, just when did you become so wise? Was I around when this happened?"

"It happened when I finally listened to what my mother was saying," she smiled. "And besides, this Ed John Doe might still surprise you. Remember, he got you a recording that hasn't even been released yet, and now you tell me he uses an extravagantly expensive cologne. Who knows? He may just surprise you."

Their costumes had been completed the day before and looked perfect. The plan was for them to start on their makeup Saturday afternoon and then get to the masquerade by seven so they could be fashionably late and make an entrance. The Bal started at six when it was already dark and would go on till twelve midnight. Megan would pick Christine up and then they'd drive over and park in the Phil's five-story parking structure. They would dine there on finger foods and then be back home no later than one in the morning.

Christine could hardly wait. She loved getting dressed in costume and partying at the Phil, and this year she'd be partying with her best friend and they'd both have almost the same costume. She truly appreciated Megan's insight on Ed, but she just couldn't get excited about someone who'd spent the last four years watching her as opposed to trying to get acquainted. Before she left Megan's, Christine made her promise to rescue her if it turned out that Ed was everything she'd feared and he tried to monopolize her time. The Bal Masque came just once a year, so she didn't want to spend it wishing she were somewhere else.

It was almost midnight by the time Christine got home. There were no voice mail messages, but she noticed that Ed was online. She was debating whether she should send him an IM when her computer sounded that she had received an instant message.

EDupont: Good evening, cheri. Burning the midnight oil?

AriaMaven: No, just got home from a friend's, putting the finishing touches on our costumes.

EDupont: Yes, Megan Gerard. How is she?

Christine's red flags went up immediately.

AriaMaven: Excuse me?

EDupont: You're wondering how I knew about Megan and that you were there tonight?

AriaMaven: Yes.

EDupont: I'm well acquainted with her mother. She mentioned before that you and her daughter were good friends and that you were working on costumes for the Bal Masque.

AriaMaven: How do you know her mother?

EDupont: It's a long story I'd rather not go into right now. But we have been friends for many years.

_He's doing it again. Coming up with a reasonable answer to something that seems very suspicious. _

EDupont: Christine, are you still there?

AriaMaven: Yes. So what costume will you be wearing?

EDupont: It'll be a surprise.

AriaMaven: Would you like to know what I'll be wearing?

EDupont: I'd like that to be a surprise as well.

AriaMaven: So what did you do today?

EDupont: The usual thing. Get up, get dressed, have breakfast…

AriaMaven: You're making a joke.

EDupont: Not at all.

AriaMaven: I got your letter this evening. It was beautiful.

EDupont: I'm glad you liked it. I meant every word.

AriaMaven: I've enjoyed our conversations, too, but if I decide I don't want to continue after we meet, you'll disappear?

EDupont: If that's what you want, I'll disappear.

AriaMaven: Then I'll look forward to meeting you tomorrow evening. Goodnight, Ed.

EDupont: Goodnight, cheri.

Christine turned off her computer and walked into her bedroom. She got undressed and got ready for bed. Pinecone hopped onto the bed from her spot in the closet and curled up next to Christine. She scratched Pinecone's head as she laid in bed looking at the ceiling and wondered what tomorrow night would bring. After having spent the last two years with Rick, it was hard to imagine being with anyone else again. Not only that, but Rick was going to be an almost impossible act for anyone to follow. He was rich, handsome, educated, and genuine. In a word, he'd been perfect. If Rick didn't have what she needed, who could? With those odds, what were the chances that Ed would? _Probably zero_ she thought.

She again turned her thoughts to the letter. _He's seen the best and the worst…I touched his heart and soul… _She turned into her pillow and closed her eyes. Her last thought before she fell asleep was a flash of white and a pair of golden eyes…


	10. The Bal Masque

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize. The copyright is simply to say that the story itself is mine, not the characters in it.

Author's Note: Many, many thanks to my reviewers. I'm so happy to know you're enjoying the ride and look forward to each chapter. I hope you enjoy this one. And cheers to my wonderful story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 10

The Bal Masque

Christine took a long leisurely shower and was now applying her makeup. She still had a good hour before Megan picked her up, so she took her time applying the sequins, faux jewels, and body glitter to her eyes, face and hands. She made sure the appliqués and her makeup were perfect. To the casual observer, she was an angel that had stepped out of the pages of a knight's tale.

She was as excited about the masquerade as a little girl. The costumes had become more extravagant as each year went by to where it was now compared to the Carnival-like atmosphere of Rio. As she carefully applied her mascara, her mind wandered to Erik and what costume he might be wearing. She imagined he'd look dashing in whatever he chose to come as – a policeman, a sheik, maybe even a cowboy. But then she wondered if she'd even recognize him, let alone find him in a crowd of thousands.

And then there was Ed. For some reason, she couldn't imagine him as dashing at all. Despite Megan's advice, she couldn't believe he'd be anything other than ordinary, for why would _she_ luck out and be pursued by a tall, dark, handsome stranger? Things like that just didn't happen to her, they happened to other people.

Once satisfied with her makeup, she did her hair. The gold braiding would stand out beautifully against her dark brown curls and the majority of her hair would flow down her back under her halo. She retrieved her costume from the closet and carefully put it on. It was a beautiful iridescent white form-fitting gown that puddled slightly into a train, with long flowing sleeves and gold trim. The wings were about four feet in length and were made of a beautiful opalescent fabric stretched over a flexible frame. She tried it on over her costume and found that they fit perfectly. She marveled at the fact that the wings looked like a natural outgrowth of her costume. She and Megan would keep their wings and masks in the trunk until they arrived at the Phil. A small, specially made beaded purse would be worn loosely around her waist to match perfectly with her gown so she could pack her ID, cash, and cell phone. _Even angels have to be prepared_ she thought with a smile.

As 6:30 rolled around there was a knock at the door. Christine opened it to find Megan to be a vision in a glittering bluish-green form-fitting gown reminiscent of A Midsummer Night's Dream. She wore a colorful wreath around her head that trailed shimmering ribbons, and her normally straight blond hair was now a cascade of golden curls. "Oh, Megan, you look beautiful!" Christine took her hand and twirled her around.

"You do, too!" Christine twirled for her friend and they both laughed. "This is going to be so much fun! Do you know what kind of costume Ed's going to be wearing?"

"No, he said he wanted it to be a surprise, so I have no idea what he's going to look like." Christine was starting to feel jittery in her excitement.

Megan was also jumpy with excitement and was practically bouncing on her feet. "Don't worry, I'll help you scope him out. Just remember to keep an open mind, and think positive!"

They were in high spirits on their way to the Music Center and they laughed and chatted animatedly about the live entertainment and handsome eye candy in store. Thanks to the extensive write-up in the papers and magazines, everyone who was part of the entertainment community knew that this was _the party _of the year. Christine and Megan arrived promptly at seven o'clock, but the plaza was already packed judging by the number of cars parked around the area of the Music Center and in the enormous parking structure, although there was still plenty of room, for the facility was built to accommodate thousands. As they alighted from the car, Christine and Megan retrieved their wings and masks from the trunk and helped each other put them on.

As they slowly made their way toward the plaza, following the rest of the crowd from the parking structure, it seemed somewhat unreal to be in the company of everything from knights, gypsies, and urban cowboys to the requisite witches, vampires, and devils. When they finally reached the plaza, Christine and Megan froze and stared at the scene before them. Even after three years, they'd never gotten used to the amount of time, effort and expense that went into making the enormous wonderland that was the Music Center on Halloween. It was breathtakingly beautiful as a privileged design firm was awarded the commission to decorate the entire plaza for the event, and no expense had been spared. There was a definite excitement and carnival atmosphere in the air.

Christine wondered if Erik was already there. Having seen so many masked men since their arrival a short while ago, it was possible she'd already unknowingly passed him by. As they strolled through the crowds, Christine noticed that she and Megan were getting quite a bit of favorable attention from a number of masked men who would nod and smile as they passed. She had to admit, they did look very much like what one would expect fairy creatures to look like, that is to say, beautiful with long flowing hair, beautiful gowns, and wings. The only thing missing were their magic wands.

"Christine, look over there! Do you think that could be Ed?" Megan had subtly grabbed her arm and turned her to the left. It seemed there was a man dressed as a policeman in a domino who had been staring at them from time to time as they approached his position.

"Megan, no, get a grip. That's a policeman, he's part of security." Christine took a deep calming breath, pulling off Megan's death grip. She'd been keeping her eyes peeled as well, but she didn't know who she was expecting to find since she had no idea what Ed looked like.

As they walked along, Megan had started pointing out different men whom she thought could be Ed. "How about him?" she smiled and pointed to a vampire with elongated canines and generous love handles. "He's been looking at us and smiling for about five minutes. Or maybe him." She pointed to an urban cowboy with rhinestones around his hat and mask. "Or how about that one?" Superman.

They strolled the plaza for awhile and eventually sat to do more people watching after acquiring a glass of wine and some appetizers. Christine was having a wonderful time with Megan who had helped calm her nerves about finding Ed. They'd already been there about an hour and he hadn't shown up, so perhaps he'd never find her.

"Ms. Megan Gerard and Ms. Christine Karlsson."

Megan and Christine turned toward the voice. It was the most handsome pirate they'd ever seen. Christine smiled as she was reminded strongly of Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, only _much_ better.

He smiled under his black domino and showed a row of perfect teeth. "Amir Khan. We met at the lecture a few weeks back."

"Dr. Khan, how nice to see you again!" Megan extended her hand as did Christine. Megan was smiling broadly. "How did you ever recognize us?"

"It had to be your hair. You both look beautiful, like something out of an opera," he smiled.

"That was a wonderful lecture, Dr. Khan. I hope you'll do it again." Christine felt like walking again.

"There are three more lectures in the series, but I won't be giving them until the next time they call me. Have you ladies had something to eat?"

They had, but Megan seemed eager to get to know the eloquent Dr. Khan better. "No, not really, would you care to join us? We were just going to get a plate of finger foods."

Christine thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take her walk. "You two go ahead, I'm going to walk a bit. Good to see you again, Dr. Khan. I'll see you a little later, Sis."

As Megan and Dr. Khan headed toward one of the food areas, Christine walked further into the crowd, taking in the beautifully constructed Halloween sets, décor and costumes. She saw many beautiful costumes and noticed that all of them were of rather high quality. She supposed that was to be expected for an event such as this.

_"Christine…"_

She thought she heard her name whispered, and so she turned around to see if someone had called. She was almost to the end of one side of the plaza but saw no one who gave any indication of having called her, so she thought she'd imagined it. There was a lot of conversation and noise, so it was very possible she was mistaken. She continued to walk through the crowd.

_"Christine…"_

There, she heard it again! She turned all the way around and looked through the crowd.

"Christine, I knew it was you!" It was Rick. "You look wonderful!" He came up and gave her a big hug.

Christine hugged him back and felt the warm familiarity of his arms around her. In that brief moment, she realized how much she had missed him. "Rick, what a great costume! You look wonderful!" She thought he looked so handsome dressed as an eighteenth-century British admiral, complete with an admiral's hat and white domino.

He grabbed her hand and led her over to a group of people. "Christine, you remember my brother Phillip, and this is my friend Roan Richards, and I'd like you to meet my parents."

She shook hands with Phillip and Roan and they smiled amiably at her. As Rick introduced her to his mother and father, she could tell immediately where his and Phillip's good looks came from. "Mr. and Mrs. de Chagny, I'm very pleased to meet you. Your foundation has done so much for the city, and especially for the children's hospital."

They shook her hand warmly and seemed genuinely interested in meeting one of their son's friends. Christine smiled and spoke with them for a few minutes before she excused herself so she could resume walking. But before she could get very far, Rick came up behind her and gently took her arm. "Wait, Christine. I…I just wanted to tell you how great you look, you look beautiful."

"Thank you, Rick. You do, too." Christine smiled and looked up into his beautiful blue eyes as he took her hand. His hair was tied back with a dark blue ribbon and he looked every bit the British admiral.

He seemed sad. "I miss you, Christine. Will you come back?"

She reached up and touched his face. "I'm sorry, Rick, I don't think so. I think I still need some time."

He reached out and held her, and Christine held him as well. "I'll always be there for you," he whispered. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she murmured, and she meant it.

When he felt her start to let go, he loosened his hold, leaning down slightly to give her a kiss, and he could feel Christine kiss him back softly. "Dance later?"

"I'd love to, Rick." She smiled before turning to resume her walk. She knew she still loved Rick and always would, but she'd probably never love him the way he wanted her to. There was never the passion for him that she wanted to feel for someone she'd be willing to spend the rest of her life with. And again she wondered, if it can't be Rick, who can it be?

It was almost 9:00 and the entertainment would be starting soon. She started walking back toward the center of the plaza where the dance floor was located. She loved to watch the couples dance, and she had loved dancing with Rick, who was very good, but now things were different. It had been two hours since she'd arrived and Ed still hadn't found her. _Maybe he won't find me at all tonight…._

* * *

Erik had seen her the moment she entered the plaza. A glorious angelic vision in white, he had discreetly followed her for two hours before deciding to make his move. But before he could proceed with his plan, powerful hands roughly grabbed him from behind, pinning his arms so he couldn't move, and held a blade to his throat.

Erik stiffened as he heard a menacing whisper in his ear, "I ought to kill you right now for impersonating a lover."

Erik immediately relaxed. "Is that the best you can do, old man?"

"Are you going to wait all night to approach her or wait until I age?" Amir released him and sheathed his dagger. "Don Juan, correct?"

"Of course. And you, I assume, are Captain Jack Sparrow or his brother?"

"Something like that. Honestly, Erik, you try my patience. I've already eaten with Ms. Gerard and here you haven't even revealed yourself. Are you waiting for an engraved invitation?"

"Megan Gerard? Were you planning to ask her out?"

"Perhaps, she's quite attractive, you know." He grinned. "If I do, maybe we can double date sometime."

Erik snorted. "Right. I'll see you on the dance floor."

He again started in the direction that he'd last seen Christine and spotted her with the de Chagny boy, who, he had to admit, did look annoyingly handsome in his admiral's costume. Erik felt a stab of pain when he saw Christine kiss him, but then she had walked away, and it was obvious the boy was saddened for he stared after her until she was out of his sight. Encouraged by this latest development, he continued following.

_"Christine…"_

She definitely heard that. She stopped walking and glanced around. No one was paying any attention to her except those who may have wondered why she was standing alone looking bewildered.

_"Come to me…"_

Her eyes got wider as she heard this last command, and she looked around again.

_"Come to me… the dance floor."_

Christine started walking, her nerves starting to tingle. Was this Ed that was calling her? She knew she wasn't imagining this.

It took about fifteen minutes for her to make her way through the crowds to reach the dance floor. It was enormous, and she could see the band up on the platform getting ready and the master of ceremonies/band director starting to announce the start of the musical segment. She looked around at the people waiting for the music to start, but no one was taking notice of her. She again found herself wondering what Ed would look like. Was he Ed the composer geek, or Ed with the beer belly, or Ed with no life to speak of, or Ed the creep? She was nervous, and it was getting worse. And where was Megan? What if she wasn't there to rescue her like they'd agreed?

_"I'm here…"_

_Oh my god, he's here. _Christine was a nervous wreck. _What if I don't like him? _She looked around but still didn't see anyone.

_"I'm here…"_

She continued to look around and mouthed _"where?"_

_"Here…"_

Christine vaguely heard the MC bidding the crowd welcome to the Bal Masque and inviting them now to dance. The band began playing a grand waltz in keeping with the elegance of the Music Center, but it seemed no one wanted to be the first ones on the dance floor.

Christine glanced around again and again mouthed _"where?"_

"Here." From behind, she felt the warm breath of someone whisper close to her right ear. Her heart was pounding and her breathing was shallow, this was it. She turned slowly, not knowing what to expect. And then she saw him.

"Oh my god." She froze in shock. "Erik?" _He was magnificent. _

"Erik Dupont….may I have this dance?" _Oh my god, that voice… _And then he held out his hand.

As she stared into his amber eyes, her mind went completely blank, but some faint recess of her brain still retained enough activity to process the words and cause her hand to take his as he led her onto the dance floor. They were the first, and as they swept into the waltz, Erik noticed that Amir followed with Megan Gerard, and then other couples soon found their spot on the dance floor until it was comfortably filled. As they swept in circles and gazed into each other's eyes, Christine felt that this was all so surreal.

Erik was _stunning_. He wore slim black pants with black leather knee high boots, a blood red satin shirt with flowing sleeves, and a black cape. On his left he wore a silver saber with a skull head sheathed in a silver scabbard, and his belt had a silver buckle off center from his waist. On his face was a large black domino and his hair was slicked back and parted in the middle, just touching his shoulders. She knew he was Don Juan.

Christine had noticed his style and grace when she first saw him, but now, dressed as Don Juan, he was elegance personified. They stared into each other's eyes as they danced, and she again had that familiar sensation of drowning in his gaze. "You were the one who left me the notes and the flowers? EDupont?"

He smiled gently.

Christine's smile was dazzling, and Erik smiled beautifully in return. She couldn't believe this was really happening. It felt like a wondrous dream come true and she never wanted to wake up. "But why did you go through all this? Why didn't you just tell me it was you?"

"I told you, I'm shy."

"And you've really been watching me for four years?" Christine couldn't believe it, but Erik merely nodded, his eyes never leaving her.

As the waltz concluded, the band began playing another selection, this time a slow dance. As Erik held her in his arms, Christine placed her arms around his neck and rested her head slightly against his chin, just enjoying the feel of his closeness. She noted that they seemed to fit so well together, as though it were always meant to be. She felt very comfortable this way with him, and she could tell he felt the same. She rested her head against his chest and felt the warmth emanating through his shirt. She closed her eyes and loved that she could feel his heartbeat, and as she breathed in, she picked up the mild scent of his cologne. She loved that scent for it reminded her of his letters. As they moved and swayed to the music, she felt like she could stay this way forever.

When the music ended, Christine reluctantly stepped back, leaving the comfort of his arms. Erik offered his arm to lead her from the dance floor. "Would you care to walk with me?"

"I would."

As they walked, Christine became aware of the envious glances of a number of gorgeous women. She had no idea who they were, but assumed they were most likely connected to Erik through his work. Christine was very aware that Erik looked devastatingly handsome and achingly desirable as Don Juan, but the fact that these women looked so beautiful in their costumes and masks made her very self-conscious. Erik noticed that Christine had unknowingly tightened her grasp on his arm. Most of the women smiled widely at Erik and nodded as though trying to catch his attention, but he seemed oblivious to their displays. In answer to Christine's unspoken question, one of the women, who was dressed as an 18th century lady of means, approached them, or rather Erik, as though she were a very familiar acquaintance.

"Erik, how wonderful to see you! We've missed your presence at our rehearsals, and we're so looking forward to your next production!"

Erik politely acknowledged her, but it seemed to Christine that he didn't really wish to be distracted by this new presence. "Good evening, Victoria. I've been quite busy, as you know. May I present Ms. Christine Karlsson. Christine, Ms. Victoria Rinaldi. She's one of the sopranos at the Phil."

Christine was rather in awe and somewhat intimidated by her flamboyance and by the fact that she was a rather famous opera personality who was one day expected to sing internationally. Christine smiled and extended her hand graciously. "I'm very honored to meet you, Ms. Rinaldi."

Victoria extended her hand so that Christine was only able to grasp her fingertips. "Charmed," she smiled. "The Bal Masque will be ending quite early, so we were going to extend the party at Gaston's. Erik, you absolutely _must_ come, we've got so much to catch up on. And you can bring your friend, of course," she smiled over at Christine.

Erik smiled and graciously gave her a nod. "Thank you, Victoria. We will see each other later then." He turned and continued to lead Christine away from Victoria and her friends. He glanced over to look at Christine to see if she was upset by Victoria's rudeness, but her face showed no emotion.

Christine wondered if Erik would really prefer to be with the beautiful Victoria than with her. As handsome as he was, she wouldn't have been at all surprised if any one of those beautiful women had flirted with him. "Will you be going to that party afterwards?" she asked softly.

"Not if I'm lucky," he murmured. Christine giggled in relief. Erik was glad to see her happy again. Knowing that he caused her happiness warmed his heart more than he would have imagined. He loved seeing her smile, and her laughter was like tinkling bells to his ears.

It had been easy for him to blend into the crowd and not be noticed when he was alone, but now that he was with Christine, he wanted to try and get them through the crowd as discreetly as possible. He sincerely hoped that they wouldn't be stopped tonight by any more female performers from the Phil. He wanted this first meeting with Christine to be perfect.

As they walked along, Erik was delighted by how easy it was to talk with Christine. She was charming and funny and he found that they had an easy rapport. She was able to speak with him on a number of topics, although she was especially knowledgeable about music and opera, but of course that was her major. And despite her tremendous talent, he was very pleased that she still retained a genuine sweetness and didn't exhibit any of the haughtiness or arrogance that so many of the performers at the Philharmonic seemed to display. Although he had watched her in secret for four years, it was only now that he could truly appreciate all there was to love about Christine. After they had strolled for awhile, Erik thought it was time to spring another surprise as they approached a group of people in costume.

Erik quietly approached one woman whose back was turned and said in that beautiful voice Christine had come to love, "Antoinette, how long has it been?"

Christine was shocked as she saw Megan's mother turn sharply to face Erik, and with a cry of surprise, suddenly throw her arms around him in an affectionate hug. She was dressed in the beautiful dark red gown of a French countess. "Erik, you scoundrel! How dare you stay away for so long and then come and surprise me like this! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

Erik laughed out loud as he picked her up and twirled her around. "I'm sorry, Antoinette, but you know I've been incredibly busy. I believe you already know Christine," he said as he now turned towards her.

Madame Gerard hugged Christine and looked at her. "Of course! Christine, it's so good to see you. I'm glad your costumes came out so nicely. You look very beautiful. Doesn't she, Erik?"

"Indeed she does," he smiled, and he approached another in their group that Christine hadn't noticed before.

"Madame Wu, so nice to see you again," he said as he hugged her. She look absolutely regal dressed as a Chinese empress. Christine was shocked that he would know her! "You know, she was the one who introduced me to Fong's Chinese Restaurant and so I am indebted to her," he said to Christine with a wink.

Madame Wu smiled warmly and motioned to her right, "Erik, so good to see you! And of course you remember my grandson, Evan?" She gestured to a handsome young man who was seated next to her and who now got up and gave Erik an affectionate yet manly hug. He mumbled something in Erik's ear that Christine didn't quite catch, but it seemed he was thanking him for something, for which Erik then playfully slapped his face. Madame Wu then smiled at Christine and took her hand. "Evan, I'd like to introduce you to Christine Karlsson. She works at the store part-time and she's a student at the conservatory."

Evan extended his hand and smiled at her warmly. "I'm very glad to meet you, Christine. I think my grandmother's been trying to get us to meet for awhile, but I promise I didn't have anything to do with it." He said this for Erik's benefit for he knew this was the woman Erik had had him deliver roses to.

"I'm very pleased to meet you, Evan," she smiled. _I wonder how Erik knows these people? They've never mentioned him to me before, although, why would they? _

Erik was ready to leave at this point. "I believe we'll resume our walk. So good to see everyone again. And I'll be by to visit soon, Antoinette."

Christine felt more relaxed about Erik since he had just proven that he had told the truth when he said he knew Madame Gerard and that they had been long time friends. She felt he must be safe if Madame Wu also knew him and everyone treated him like family.

As they walked along, they were almost to the edge of the plaza. Erik was about to lead her along a walkway that stretched beyond the plaza when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Erik Dupont, the man of the hour! Come over here and say hello to the mayor."

Erik and Christine turned and saw that Mr. de Chagny had called them over to join the mayor and some other important looking gentlemen.

Christine had had the impression that Erik might have been rather quiet and shy, but now felt that she may have been mistaken as he addressed these men as though it were a natural part of his activities. "Antoine, a pleasure, as always. And Mr. Mayor, I trust you're enjoying the festivities?" He smiled pleasantly.

The mayor shook his hand firmly and smiled at Christine warmly. "It becomes more impressive and beautiful each year. Antoine here tells me that you're the one responsible for the unprecedented response to not only the programs at the Philharmonic but for the Music Center as a whole. That's quite an accomplishment, and I have to thank you for putting San Francisco on the cultural map. You and Antoine have been wonderful for San Francisco, and the city is grateful."

"You're too kind, Robert. It's been a pleasure serving the city, but you'll have to excuse us right now, we were in the midst of going for a walk," he smiled. After shaking their hands again and waving goodbye, they turned and resumed walking down the path arm in arm away from the noisy plaza. Christine was stunned that Erik would choose to continue their walk rather than stay and talk with the mayor and Mr. de Chagny. _What kind of man is this that he walks away from the most powerful men in the city after being praised so highly, just to be with me?_

Christine felt like she had to say something about what had just happened. "Erik, I don't want to keep you from talking to the mayor or Mr. de Chagny if you need to, I'd understand."

Erik stopped walking and looked down at her as he held her hand. "Christine, I want you to understand that nothing is more important to me at this moment than being with you. I can talk to the mayor or Mr. de Chagny anytime. I told you, I just want to get to know you." And with that, he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it softly, letting his lips linger before placing her arm through his again as they continued strolling. Christine was shocked, for never had anyone so openly and naturally displayed such loyalty and affection for her, not even Rick. Christine's thoughts were suddenly in an unexpected state of confusion, for it seemed that Erik was far more complex than she had ever imagined.

As they came upon a wooden bench, they stopped to sit. Erik noticed that they were now out of range of the outdoor heaters and Christine only had on her thin costume. "Are you cold?"

"A little bit." Christine had wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm, but Erik untied his cape and placed it gently around Christine's shoulders.

"Better?"

"Ummm, thank you." His cape was surprisingly warm, and Christine loved that he was so chivalrous.

"Here…" He opened his arms as he sat next to her so she could be comforted in his embrace.

Christine shrugged her shoulders in the warm cape and smiled as she realized how warm and cozy she now felt in his arms. "This is nice," she murmured contentedly.

Erik held her close and closed his eyes as he rested his cheek against her hair, breathing in the faint fragrance of roses. "Ever since I first saw you, I thought you were so beautiful, and you sang like an angel. I wanted to meet you then, but I couldn't. But I knew you'd be graduating soon, and I couldn't let you just go out of my life if I could help it."

"But why would you feel that way about me when you didn't even know me?" Christine had to know why he chose her instead of any one of those beautiful performers from the Philharmonic or someone else that was as accomplished as he was.

"I admit that at first it was your voice that attracted me, but as time went on and I saw more of your performances, I almost felt like I knew you through the parts you'd played. You're an actress, yet you brought yourself into every role."

"And you watched me perform for four years…" Christine was amazed at how relaxed she felt around Erik. As notable as he obviously was, hobnobbing with the likes of the de Chagnys and the mayor, she normally would have been a bundle of nerves, but she thought _he's just as normal as I am! _She tried to stifle a little giggle.

"What?" Erik smiled.

"Oh, nothing," she grinned. "I'm just having a wonderful time." Such a good time, in fact, that she didn't want the evening to end.

"I'm glad," he said as he hugged her even tighter, rocking them slightly from side to side, and Christine giggled even more, reveling in the feel of his arms around her.

It wasn't until Christine turned to smile at him that she noticed how close his face was to hers, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. His face was so incredibly _beautiful_, and as she closed her eyes, she felt his soft lips suddenlyclaim hers in a devastating kiss, and she felt herself in free fall… _Erik…. _

When she opened her eyes, his eyes smoldered with an unfathomable fire, and before she could form coherent thought, his lips had once again come down passionately on hers. Christine wrapped her arms around him as Erik tangled his fingers through her hair, pulling her even closer. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, invading it deeply, the erotic joining numbing her other senses. For now she was his…_HIS._

* * *

Rick had been nearby when his father had called over Erik Dupont and he'd been surprised to see Christine on his arm. When he saw them leave the plaza to walk down one of the pathways, he followed at a discrete distance, his curiosity getting the better of him. He knew it was none of his business whom Christine chose to be with, but he couldn't help himself. He'd been working at the Phil for four years, but this was the first time he'd ever seen the elusive resident composer, although he knew him by reputation. His father apparently thought very highly of him, as did the mayor, _and now he was with Christine._

He was surprised that Erik was so young, he had expected a much older composer. And not only was he young, but he was handsome and refined, judging by his carriage and demeanor. Rick's hands unknowingly formed into fists. He'd seen when they'd stopped to talk briefly, and had felt a flash of anger when he saw Erik kiss her hand. _He's quite the charmer, this composer. _

Rick was only about thirty feet away when they had sat on the bench and Erik had offered his cape to her. He was about to leave because he felt guilty for spying on them, but he froze when he saw Erik turn his head and kiss her. He wondered what Christine's reaction would be.

He got his answer quickly when he saw her wrap her arms around him and kiss him back passionately. _She_ w_as never like that with me. _

Rick turned away and put a hand to his forehead. He walked quietly and quickly back to the plaza, his breathing shallow, and a lump forming in his throat.


	11. Let the Games Begin

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my wonderful reviewers, a special thank you to Pertie, and to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 11

Let the Games Begin

Roan smiled as he watched the dancing and the lovely ladies that walked by from his seat at the bar. He enjoyed being able to relax for once and not have any obligations until Monday. He had come dressed as a wealthy modern-day Arab sheik and had gotten his share of flirtatious stares from a number of gorgeous young women. _God, I love Halloween!_

As he downed the last of his drink, he noticed that Rick de Chagny had walked up and taken a seat at the other end of the bar. That in itself was odd because he knew Rick wasn't a drinker, but he looked like hell, like he needed a drink, a strong one. He knew there were three things that could make a man looked like that – money trouble, problems at work, or a woman – and he knew Rick didn't have money or job troubles. Rick had spoken to him before about Christine and of how much he loved her and was thinking of asking her to marry him in the not too distant future. Roan thought he'd be Rick's best man before the next year was out, but now, maybe not. He decided he'd better keep an eye on him tonight.

Hard liquor was something Rick normally stayed clear of, but he felt tonight was a special occasion. It was the fourth one that finally started to take the edge off. He wasn't drunk exactly, but it was just enough to start to dull the pain. He looked into the small glass that held his salvation, swirling the contents and gazing at the whirlpool in the center, and then downed the rest in one gulp. He turned and faced the dance area and decided he'd enjoy himself and dance like there was no tomorrow.

* * *

Christine could have remained in Erik's arms all night, but when he stood she got up and took his arm as he led them back to the plaza. Lively music could be heard coming from the dance area. They were about halfway there when he suddenly changed direction and led them toward a booth. 

In response to Christine's puzzled look, he said, "I want to remember this night." When she saw that they were at the photographer's booth, she hugged his arm and rested her head against him. She closed her eyes momentarily, wondering if there was anything he could do that wasn't wonderful.

There was a couple in line before them and the gentleman in front turned around to look at them. "You're following me, aren't you? I may just have to run you through," he said with a wink.

Erik smiled over at Christine. "Some people are just never the same when they get a sword in their hands. What do you say, old man?"

"Christine?" Megan peeked around Amir to see Christine's companion.

Christine grinned. "Megan, I'd like to introduce you to 'Ed.' This is Erik Dupont. Erik, this is my friend, Megan Gerard."

Megan was beside herself. _Christine has finally hit the jackpot!_ "Oh! _This_ is Ed? I'm _so_ pleased to meet you!" _Oh my god, talk about eye candy! _

Erik smiled and took her hand. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Megan. I'm an old friend of your mother's."

Megan grinned and shook his hand firmly as she looked wide-eyed over at Christine. Christine was amused that Megan's eyes now looked like two exclamation points. She took this to mean that Megan was very pleased with Erik.

Erik placed a hand on Amir's shoulder. "What say we do this as a foursome, mon ami?"

And so it was that when it was their turn to be photographed, Erik, Christine, Amir, and Megan posed to commemorate their first Bal Masque together.

Erik had never been happier. As they finally approached the dance floor, the band was playing a lively swing dance and Christine excitedly pulled him forward to the edge of the dance floor so they could see the dancing. She just loved swing. Erik enjoyed seeing Christine so excited and happy. He wanted to always be a source of happiness for her. He couldn't explain his reasons for what happened next, but he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to act on his impulses. Christine gave a slight squeak as Erik suddenly grabbed her hand and started leading her onto the dance floor.

Amir saw Erik pulling Christine by the hand onto the dance floor and was nothing short of amazed. Erik hated calling attention to himself, yet this was the second time he had danced with Christine in public! _Erik's got it bad _he smiled. He'd never seen Erik swing dance before, but he had to admit he was good. _They actually make a nice-looking couple._

Christine was having the time of her life. Erik was an excellent dancer. When the dance ended, he took her hand to lead her off the dance floor, but someone gently grasped her arm from behind. It was Rick. "May I have the next dance, Christine?"

She looked over at Erik, who nodded his acquiescence, and she took Rick's hand as he led her back to a spot on the dance floor. She noticed that his costume was a little sweat-stained. He must have danced practically every dance. This was a slow dance, and as they put their arms around one another, Christine was reminded of how she and Rick used to dance in better times. Rick held onto her tightly as though he never wanted to let her go. Christine thought she smelled alcohol on his breath. _But Rick doesn't drink like that. _

As Erik looked back at them, he saw that Rick was holding Christine more tightly than he liked. _I know what you're doing, puppy. You want her back, but you're too late, do you hear me, you're too late! She's already left you, and now she wants _me. _She's mine! _Erik walked away from them. He didn't want to see the boy with his arms around her. Around his Christine…

When the dance ended, Rick held her hand and escorted her to the edge of the dance floor. "Thank you for the dance, Christine," and he kissed her hand before he disappeared into the crowd. _He's never done that before_ she thought.

The MC was announcing the final dance of the evening before the balloon drop. Christine looked around for Erik because couples were gathering on the dance floor, but he was still nowhere to be found. She saw Amir and Megan together and smiled. They looked like they were enjoying each other. She wondered where Erik had run off to.

"May I have the honor of the last dance?" It was Rick's friend that had been talking with Phillip. Christine looked around for Erik once again, but since he was nowhere to be found, agreed to dance with this new partner. The music began, another slow dance.

He smiled down at her as they swayed slowly to the music. She looked at him closely and for the first time noticed that he was quite handsome, especially dressed as an Arab sheik. She couldn't see his hair, which was covered by his costume, but he had beautiful dark blue eyes, and his smile was utterly charming. "Thank you for dancing with me, Christine."

"You're welcome," she smiled politely. "Roan, isn't it?"

Roan never took his eyes off her, but he took this opportunity to try and to get to know her a little. Rick had always called her an angel, but now he would find out why, for in his vast experience there was no such thing. They had a pleasant conversation and he maneuvered it in such a way that he could get the most information in the fewest number of words since they only had a few minutes. In that time, he learned a little about her likes and dislikes, her hobbies, and her dreams and aspirations. He doubted she even suspected she was being studied. Christine for her part thought Roan was charming, though somewhat chatty, but perhaps it was just his way of breaking the ice. She wondered where Erik was now. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Roan chuckled. "I said I'm glad I had a chance to get to know you a little. I hope I see you around."

Christine smiled. Roan was very nice, but then so was Rick. She'd met a number of Rick's friends and they were all very nice, very rich, and more often than not rather shallow. But she really wasn't paying attention because she was busy thinking about Erik. "I'm sorry, I was with someone earlier, but it seems I've lost them."

As the last song ended, the MC announced the countdown to twelve o'clock as the crowd joined in. Roan started counting down with the crowd as Christine looked around wildly for Erik.

"3…2…1. Happy Halloween!" The balloons came down in a blinding shower of orange, black, and white balloons as the band started playing a final swing dance number as everyone either hugged and kissed their partners or started swing dancing for the last time amidst the balloons. Roan politely hugged Christine and she hugged him in return, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of blue approaching and knew instinctively that it was Rick. _No, I don't want to do this with him! Where's Erik? _She looked around amongst the crowd hoping to spot Erik before Rick reached her. He was about ten feet away now…

Out of nowhere, Christine felt an arm grab her around the waist and roughly pull her away from Rick's approach. Erik forcefully pulled her into his arms as his lips crashed down upon hers in a searing kiss. They wrapped their arms around one another and were lost in a world of their own amidst the music and activity. Christine could vaguely hear the music, but it faded into nothingness as now there was only Erik…

Rick stopped when he saw Erik reach her first. He was too late. He slowly turned and walked away because he couldn't bear to see the passion that was so evident in their kiss. He walked back to the bar area and decided to seek more comfort. Roan saw everything that had happened and decided to follow his friend to the bar.

* * *

As the Bal Masque came to a close, Erik offered to take Christine home. She called Megan on her cell phone to let her know and promised to see her tomorrow. 

As they walked to the parking structure, Christine noticed that they were walking away from the other cars. When they reached their destination, she was amazed that Erik would have a spacious enclosed parking stall, which he now opened with the push of a button on his keychain. As she approached his car, which was the color of gunmetal, she was stunned to see the name of it on the side: Lamborghini. _Who the hell is this man? _Erik opened the door for her and she was surprised when the door opened vertically, and when she stepped in, she felt like she'd stepped into a cockpit. Erik tossed his scabbard and saber in the back and hopped into the driver's seat. He started the engine, but it was so quiet that Christine didn't realize the car had started until he pulled out of the stall.

As they drove down the boulevard, Christine leaned back in her seat and listened to the soft jazz coming through the speakers. She looked over at Erik and was struck by the incredible picture he presented…dressed all in black but for his flowing red shirt, mask, and dark hair. He was the epitome of grace and elegance. She'd taken off her mask during the balloon drop, but noted that Erik still had his on. _Why does he wear the mask? If we get to know each other better, maybe someday he'll tell me. _

As they neared Chinatown, they hardly spoke, but Erik would occasionally glance over at Christine and smile, or just gaze at her for a few seconds before turning his attention back to the road. It had been a very good evening, and it had turned out even better than he'd hoped. She was every bit the angel he had imagined, and given time, she would be his completely.

He parked the car in front of Madame Wu's and walked Christine up the stairs to her apartment. As they stood outside her door, Erik gently brushed the hair from the side of her face. "Thank you for this evening, Christine, for meeting me. I know you were probably worried about it. I hope I didn't disappoint you."

Christine smiled and shook her head. "No, I wasn't disappointed. And thank _you_ for this evening. I had a wonderful time."

"I'm glad. I have something for you, so you'll remember our first date." Erik reached into a pocket and brought out a small, beautifully gift wrapped box.

"Oh, Erik, you didn't have to!" _I can't believe he did this for me. _As Christine unwrapped the box and opened it, she saw that it was a beautiful pearl pendant with diamonds on either side. "Oh my god," she whispered. "Erik... I can't…"

"Here, let me put it on you." He took it out of the box and fastened the clasp behind her neck. "Magnificent."

Christine touched the necklace and looked up at Erik, not believing anyone could do this for her. She reached up for him and kissed him. "Thank you," she whispered as she held him.

They stayed like that for several moments, until Erik spoke. "Christine, may I see you again?" Her answer would determine his future. She was everything, and there could be no future without her in it.

Christine remembered what he'd said in his email, that if she wished it, he would stay, but if she didn't, she'd never see him again. And now he was asking her.

Erik closed his eyes as he waited for her answer.

Christine reached up and turned his face to her as she whispered, "Yes." She kissed him and she could feel his arms tighten around her as their kiss deepened. A thought occurred to her then and she wanted to know the answer right now. "Erik?"

"Yes, mon ange?"

"You once told me that I gave you hope. Hope for what?"

As he held her he whispered, "For love," and then he kissed her.

* * *

After Erik made sure that Christine was safely locked in her apartment, he'd driven home in a daze. She wanted to see him again! She actually wanted him! He could have screamed in delight he was so happy. He made it back home in record time and parked his car. As he walked towards the private elevator to his apartment, he stopped as he thought he heard some sounds from another part of the parking garage. Not hearing anything more, he stepped into the elevator as the doors closed quietly.

* * *

Roan was struggling with Rick next to his car when he finally pinned him against a large pillar in the parking garage. "Get off me, man! I just wanna talk to him!" 

"Cool it, Rick, you're drunk! If you're gonna talk to him, at least do it when you're sober!" This was a new experience for him. It had always been Rick who'd rescue him from fights in times past, but now the tides had turned. He thought they must be quite a sight, a British admiral fighting with an Arab sheik in the parking garage. "What was so important that you needed to talk to him tonight?"

"I want him to stay away from Christine." Rick was breathing hard from struggling with him, and his hair was disheveled.

"You can't do that, man. It's up to her who she wants to be with." Roan loosened his hold on him as he started to calm down.

"No, she doesn't know what she wants. We were happy, she loved me…" Rick's voice started to break as he shut his eyes against the implications of what he was saying.

"Come on, I'll take you home, you need to sleep it off. I promise things'll look better in the morning." He opened his car door and helped Rick inside, which wasn't easy since his car was a tiny BMW two-seater. When he got Rick back to his own apartment, he left him in the bathroom because he said he'd wanted to shower. He locked Rick's front door behind him as he walked back to his car and then made his way back to his own apartment just ten minutes away.

As he drove, he thought about Rick and Christine's relationship and how it hadn't worked out. He knew that Rick had lost his heart completely this time and had done everything to make it work, but there were never any guarantees. If Christine didn't want him, there really wasn't anything Rick could do to change her mind. In the brief few minutes that Roan had danced with Christine and spoken with her, he'd come to understand how his friend had fallen in love with her and had never wanted to look back. She was beautiful of course, but he was struck by her seemingly complete lack of guile. In this way, he supposed Rick and Christine should have been made for each other as Rick was the most selfless person he'd ever known. But when it came to matters of the heart, who could tell? Rick had always spoken of Christine as an angel and Roan had always smirked for he'd never encountered anyone in his life who'd ever come close to such a thing, but now, he realized that Rick may have been right.

Then he thought of Erik Dupont and the kiss after the balloon drop he'd witnessed. He'd been able to tell immediately the sort of man this Dupont was, and it was evident to him even then that Rick had been out of his league from the very beginning. He and Rick had always been sought after by women because of their looks, their money, and their connections, but this Dupont possessed an innate quality that transcended the exterior showing of wealth and power, an indefinable _something_ that was sensed on an instinctual level. In the brief moments during the balloon drop, he _knew_ the man was powerful, rich, brilliant, and formidable. Anyone who went against him would be in for the fight of their life. It was for this very type of encounter that Roan had been groomed by his wealthy parents from the day he was born…

Yes, Christine was very lucky to catch the eye of such a man, but on the other hand, Dupont was lucky indeed to be able to maintain the attentions of an angel like Christine.

Roan returned to his apartment building and parked his car, took the elevator to his floor and walked down the plush carpeted hallway to his apartment. He was glad to be home, it'd been a long day and night. He walked into his bedroom and started to undress. After dancing most of the evening, he needed to shower before getting into bed. He thought about Christine and Rick and Erik Dupont as the hot water soothed his weariness. He shampooed his hair and stood under the hot water as the lather rinsed away. A crazy thought was beginning to form in his mind…

* * *

Christine had taken a shower as soon as she'd said goodnight to Erik and was now in her robe, standing before her mirror and admiring the necklace which was Erik's gift to her. It was beautiful. She thought back on the evening and how she'd met him, how he'd lured her to the dance floor, and his introduction. She closed her eyes at the memory, a small smile forming on her lips. 

She went to her bedroom to get ready for bed when she heard the phone. _Who could possibly be calling at this time of night? _She answered, but expected it to be a wrong number. "Hello?"

"Hi, sweetheart, it's Rick. Do you have a few minutes?"

_Why the hell is calling this late? _"Rick, it's really late. What did you need?"

"I just wanted to talk a little and then I'll hang up. Please?"

She really didn't feel up to it, but thought he'd hang up just that much sooner if she just heard him out, so she took the phone into the living room and sat down on the couch. She noticed that his words sounded a little strange. "Rick, are you drunk? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, babe. You're probably getting ready for bed, but I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes."

Christine wondered if he'd really know what he was talking about because some of his words were already slurred. "Okay, what about?"

He paused. "I saw you with Erik Dupont, and I just wanted to warn you about him."

"What do you mean?"

"He's strange, Christine. He's a recluse, and he always wears a mask."

Christine was confused. "He's a composer, and he didn't act like a recluse tonight."

"He works at the Phil and I've heard people talk, Christine. Christ, I've worked there for four years and this is the first time I've even seen him! I just don't want anything to happen with him."

Christine was getting very tired. "Rick, thanks for calling, but he's fine. I just want to go to bed now."

But Rick wasn't ready to hang up yet. "Christine, I just want to make sure you're safe. I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you. You need to stay away from him."

She couldn't understand why he'd be saying this and sighed before answering. "Rick, I don't want to. I like him and I want to get to know him better."

_"No!" _he shouted. "He's a joke, Christine! People at the Phil call him the 'Phantom' because nobody ever sees him! He's a weirdo composer that never comes out of his little hole!" He was hysterical.

Christine was shocked and was silent for a long time, not sure what to say.

"Christine?" Rick wondered if she was still there.

"Rick, I think you're drunk and you need to go to bed. We can talk when you're feeling better, okay? I'm hanging up now. Goodnight."

Christine gently hung up the phone and wondered what could have caused Rick to make such a call. _Was he jealous? Did something happen with Erik? _She turned on her computer. She wondered if Erik was online. She had to talk to him.

* * *

Erik was still on a high. He made himself a drink and put on some relaxing music, settling down into his favorite chair by the window and remembering his first evening with Christine. Anubis came over to greet her master and was now curled up on his lap, getting her ears scratched. 

It was about 1:30 a.m. when he heard the tone indicting he'd gotten an instant message.

AriaMaven: Erik, are you there?

EDupont: Good morning, cheri. Did you enjoy yourself tonight?

AriaMaven: Yes, I had a wonderful time. Thank you. I just love the necklace.

EDupont: I'm glad, it truly does look beautiful on you. Are you all right?

AriaMaven: Yes, I'm fine. Did you happen to see Rick de Chagny tonight?

Erik's alarms bells went off immediately.

EDupont: Why do you ask?

AriaMaven: He called after you dropped me off and I could tell he was drunk. I just wondered if you'd talked to him.

EDupont: Are you all right? Did he say anything?

Erik felt a sudden flash of anger as he imagined Christine being threatened by that boy. If he'd said anything to frighten or hurt Christine, he'd see to it that he wouldn't see the light of another day.

AriaMaven: No, I'm fine, he just wanted to talk. Did you talk to him tonight?

EDupont: No, I didn't see him. What did he talk to you about?

AriaMaven: Oh, nothing really. We hadn't seen each other in awhile, so he just wanted to catch up on old times.

EDupont: You're lying.

AriaMaven: Excuse me?

EDupont: Don't lie to me, Christine. What did he say to you?

Christine felt a sudden chill, and then anger.

AriaMaven: How dare you – what gives you the goddamn right to accuse me of lying!

EDupont: I have the right because I care about you, Christine. After four years, do you think I can just stand by if I thought you'd been hurt or threatened? No more games. Tell me what he said.

Erik wondered if he'd gone too far. Christine was furious with him for accusing her of lying, but if Rick ever did anything to hurt her, no one could stop him from hurting him back, not even Christine.

EDupont: Tell me, Christine.

She was surprised by his reaction. She'd never seen this side of Erik before.

AriaMaven: He just said I should stay away from you, but he was drunk. I really don't think he knew what he was saying, and I doubt if he'll even remember calling me.

Erik was annoyed. _The boy's an imbecile. _

AriaMaven: Erik, are you still there?

EDupont: Of course, cheri. Do you have any plans for tonight?

AriaMaven: No, not yet.

EDupont: How about dinner at 8:00?

AriaMaven: I'd love to. Erik, I'm sorry for getting angry. I know you were just concerned.

EDupont: Don't worry about it, my dear. I'll see you tonight. Goodnight.

AriaMaven: I'll look forward to it. Goodnight.

_That boy had better not interfere. _


	12. The Great San Francisco Fish Market

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 12

The Great San Francisco Fish Market

_God damn! Who the hell is doing construction on a Sunday morning? _Rick opened his bleary eyes against the morning light coming through his bedroom window and immediately closed them again. He struggled out of bed and fumbled his way over to the window to close the blinds. That's when he realized there was no construction going on and that the noise he'd heard was inside his head. He groaned as he flopped down on his bed again, noticing he was still in costume from the night before. He remembered how he'd gotten this way and swore by everything holy that he'd never get drunk again…it wasn't worth it.

As he slowly unbuttoned his jacket and shirt, he tried to remember the events of the previous evening. He seemed to remember talking to Christine a couple times, and he remembered seeing her with Erik Dupont, but things became kind of fuzzy after that. And he was sure Roan had driven him home.

He got up and turned on his computer. He had a feeling he'd better send Christine some flowers. He didn't know why, but knew better by now than to ignore his gut feelings. He got online and ordered a large arrangement of flowers from a prestigious local award-winning florist. As an afterthought, he attached a card to go with it. They'd deliver it to her apartment sometime this morning. He made a mental note to call Christine later to see if everything was all right.

* * *

"Okay, so what's he like? And don't you dare leave anything out!" Megan could be insufferable sometimes, but you had to love her. She'd called and then rushed over to Christine's for breakfast so they could compare notes from last night. 

"Megan!" Christine sighed in exasperation. She was up to her elbows in batter.

"Oh, come on, you know you want to tell me! And then I'll tell you how _my_ night went!"

Christine was almost done making pancakes as Megan set the table and got out the syrup. She didn't normally make breakfast for herself, but she was glad Megan had come over because she wanted to talk to her about Rick, and she certainly couldn't talk to Erik. No, Megan was the best one for the job. They took their places at her kitchen table.

Christine started things off. "Okay, okay, he was _fantastic! _He was so easy to talk to, and we've got a lot in common. I loved talking with him. And he's a great dancer! Did you see us?"

"Yes, you guys looked great together! Amir is a great dancer, too, and we had a great time. I can't wait to see the pictures!"

"While we were walking around, we ran into your mother and Madame Wu, and he knows them! He's apparently very close to both of them, even Madame Wu's grandson, Evan Fong, who was really cute by the way. Maybe you'd like to meet him," she grinned.

"Well, like I always say, you can never meet too many cute guys! What did my mom say to Erik?"

"She said that it'd been too long since she'd seen him, so I got the feeling they went way back. Do you remember ever meeting him before?"

"I'm not sure. We used to live in France so my mom probably knew him from back then, but I was too young to remember. His name is French, so that's very possible."

"When he dropped me off last night, he gave me this." Christine smiled and fingered her necklace.

"Oh my god." Megan's eyes were like saucers. "It's beautiful. Did he kiss you goodnight?"

"Yes, he did," she grinned. "I'm going to see him again tonight for dinner."

"Way to go! I haven't heard from Amir yet, but I think we got along really well, and he kissed me goodnight, too. _Great _kisser!" Megan exclaimed, tilting her head and closing her eyes, recalling the experience.

Christine smiled at this and then decided now was the time to mention last night's phone call. "Um, Rick called me last night after I got home. He was pretty drunk."

"You're kidding." Megan couldn't even imagine Rick drunk. "What did he want?"

"He wanted me to stay away from Erik."

"Really? He said that? That doesn't even sound like him." Megan thought this sounded too weird.

"Of course it wasn't him, he was drunk. I don't think he's even going to remember it today."

"So what are you going to do? Are you going to talk to him about it?"

"I don't know. Of course I'll talk to him about it if he even remembers anything. But if he doesn't…then I don't know if it's even worth bringing up, because it's not something he'd ever say if he knew what he was doing."

"Of course he wouldn't! We've known him for three years, and he's the last person you'd ever think would get drunk and then tell you what to do."

"I know. Erik and I almost got into an argument about it last night. I mean, I just met him, I don't want to blow this."

"I don't think you need to worry about that, hon. If he's been watching you for four years and then gone through all this to meet you, then I think it's safe to say that dumping you would be the last thing on his mind."

"I hope you're right. Megan, I don't know what I'd ever do without you." And she hugged her tightly.

"What are sisters for?"

Just then the doorbell rang. Christine got up to answer it. "Who's there?" she called.

"Golden Gate Florist," came the muffled reply.

As she opened the door, she faced a delivery man who was carrying a huge arrangement of tropical flowers which must have cost a fortune since they were out of season.

Christine signed for the flowers and then carried them into the apartment as Megan closed the door.

"Oh, how beautiful! Who are they from?" Megan leaned over to smell the colorful blooms.

"They're probably from Rick."

Megan thought Christine looked less than enthused. "Are you sure? How do you know they're not from Erik?"

"Erik doesn't strike me as the tropical flowers type of guy." Christine took the envelope from the holder and read the card. "Yup, they're from Rick." She handed the card over to Megan.

_"'With love, Rick.' _Well, what do you think?"

"Does he seriously think this makes up for last night?" Christine looked incredulous.

"He's probably trying to apologize."

Christine looked thoughtful. "I think I'll take these down to the store. I'm sure Madame Wu would appreciate them."

Just then, the doorbell rang again and Christine got up again to answer it. "Who's there?"

"Messenger service," a voice called back.

Christine opened the door and looked at a delivery man holding an enormous arrangement of blood red roses. Christine signed the receipt and brought it into the apartment as Megan again closed the door.

She placed them on the coffee table next to Rick's flowers and then took the envelope from the holder and read the card as Megan smelled the roses.

"Christine, these are the most fragrant roses I've ever smelled. I wonder where they come from?"

"Erik."

Megan could only shake her head. "I gotta hand it to you, sis, this Erik's got some kind of class."

Christine had to agree. Although Erik's arrangement was as large as Rick's, the roses were by far and away much more elegant. They came in a beautiful large cut crystal vase with a large black silk ribbon tied around its base. It had Erik written all over it. Christine smiled as she held the card out to her.

_"'To my Angel of Music, With Love, Erik.' _Wow, I mean really…wow. Christine, say something!" Megan couldn't seem to get over it.

Christine just looked at the flowers and smelled them, touching the soft petals. They were too beautiful for words. Her eyes were glistening as she went to her computer to turn it on. She had to thank Erik immediately.

* * *

Erik had had a restless night since talking to Christine and learning of Rick's call to her. Because of his experience in dealing with people's reaction to his mask and the cruelties that came with it, both professionally and personally, he'd become quite the expert in reading between the lines and deciphering people's hidden meanings, and he could usually tell when he was being lied to. And he'd known Christine had lied to him last night as plainly as if she'd signed a confession. It had hurt him because he had thought they'd established a good relationship, but perhaps it wasn't as good as he'd wanted to believe. 

He thought about Rick de Chagny and what he'd said to Christine. With this in mind he once again hacked into Rick's e-mail account to see if he might find a clue. He did, later that morning. The boy had placed an order for a large arrangement of tropical flowers to be delivered to Christine's apartment this morning. _Tropical flowers...I am not impressed. _That in itself wasn't very revealing, but he'd also attached a note: 'Love, Rick.' _Holy Mary, Mother of God, the boy's an idiot. _

Erik tried to analyze this reasonably. _He undoubtedly wanted to apologize to her for making a fool out of himself. Good thing I made arrangements last night to have my flowers delivered to her this morning. I'll see Christine for dinner tonight. If she still feels anything for the boy, I'll know it. _

It was about 10 a.m. when his computer sounded, letting him know he'd gotten an instant message.

AriaMaven: Good morning, Erik. Are you there?

EDupont: Good morning, cheri. Sleep well?

AriaMaven: I just received the flowers. They're beautiful! THANK YOU!

EDupont: You're quite welcome, my dear. I must say, I'm quite looking forward to tonight.

AriaMaven:I am, too. I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't want you to worry about it. It's over.

EDupont: Yes, it's over, but know that I would _never_ let anything happen to you as long as I could help it. You mean too much to me, cheri.

AriaMaven: Thank you, Erik. You're coming to mean a lot to me, too. You're very easy to talk to. It seems like we never run out of things to talk about.

EDupont:Yes, I noticed that as well, and I find you very easy to talk with, too. It's quite uncommon to find someone you feel that comfortable with. I'm very glad we were able to get together. This is only the beginning.

AriaMaven: I hope so, Erik. I mean that.

EDupont: I'd like us to always be honest with each other. I want you to feel you can tell me anything and not be afraid of confiding in me. Do you think you can do that?

AriaMaven: As I get to know you and we become closer, I'm sure I can. I look forward to it.

EDupont: I wish now that I'd gotten to know you sooner.

AriaMaven: I wish you had, too.

EDupont:Really?

AriaMaven: Really.

EDupont: Thank you.

AriaMaven: For what?

EDupont: For being yourself. I'll be by at 8:00, dress casually. Till then, mon ange.

AriaMaven: Bye, Erik.

Erik turned off his computer and thought about Christine. She did indeed sound sincere. It seemed that Rick was still nothing more than her friend. Well, he'd find out for sure tonight. He'd also be able to gauge her reaction to his mask. Although she'd seen his mask before, he knew they were always distracted when she'd seen him at the antique shop or at Fong's. And last night, everyone had a mask. But tonight she'd have no distraction, she'd be entirely focused on him. He determined to take extra care to look attractive for her tonight. Perhaps it would make his mask less noticeable than it already would be. For their first date, he knew just the place.

* * *

The phone rang around 6:30 pm as Christine was getting ready. She thought it might be Megan wanting to wish her luck on her first date with Erik, but it wasn't.

"Hi, Christine, how're you doing tonight? Did I call at a bad time?" It was Rick.

"No, it's not a bad time. Thanks for the flowers, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay." He paused before continuing. "Christine, I know I probably had too much to drink last night when I called you, but…I really can't remember what we talked about. I hope I didn't make an ass out of myself."

"Well, you just said that I should stay away from Erik Dupont." She felt honesty was probably the best policy.

"I did? Oh, well, I still think you should stay away from him, but that's up to you. God, I'm sorry if I made a fool of myself, but I wanted to know if I could make it up to you by taking you to dinner tonight."

"I'm sorry, I've already got plans for tonight, but thanks for offering. Rick, you really didn't have to do that."

"All right, maybe another time then. Goodnight, Christine."

"Goodnight, Rick."

As he placed the phone back in its cradle, Rick felt somewhat relieved, though still strangely uncomfortable.

* * *

It was 8:00 and he was right on time as Christine heard the gentle knock on her door. She took a quick glance in the mirror to make sure everything was in place and then opened the door with a large smile on her face and a cheerful greeting on her lips.

"Hello…." Christine's greeting died a slow death as she stood rooted to the spot, staring at the most incredibly gorgeous sight ever to grace her doorstep. Erik may have been casually dressed, but to Christine, he looked for all the world like an Italian runway model. He was dressed in shades of dark brown and camel with a woolen scarf around his neck.His hair hung loosely down both sides of his face and white mask. _Oh. My. God. _

"Good evening, cheri," he smiled. He stepped forward and kissed her gently as he hugged her. She looked radiant and smelled wonderful, although she stood somewhat stiffly. He wondered if she was put off by his mask. "Are we ready for dinner?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes, I'm famished!" she said shakily. She quickly grabbed her purse and locked the door so he wouldn't notice her nervousness. He was _the_ handsomest man she'd ever seen in her life.

Erik smiled and gazed at her appreciatively. Christine had decided to go with a long dark skirt, a pullover sweater, and medium-heeled boots. She wore her hair down with the sides held back with jeweled clips. Erik thought she looked perfect.

Christine smiled brightly and took his hand as she locked the door and they walked down the stairs. As they made their way to the car, Christine noticed that he again had his Lamborghini. She didn't think she'd ever get used to car doors opening vertically, but it did make climbing in much easier. As Erik got behind the wheel, Christine was again struck by how handsome he was. His legs were long and lean, and his long hair and mask gave him such an aura of darkness and mystery. They pulled away from the curb and headed in the direction of Fisherman's Wharf.

It was an overcast yet beautiful November evening and Christine was happy to be with Erik again so soon after the Bal Masque. She was glad he'd asked her to dinner so she wouldn't have to sit around wondering if he'd ever call. She had tired long ago of the games played by singles, and Erik was obviously not one to play games. Soft jazz played over the stereo as they drove through town, and Erik would look over at her and smile whenever they came to a stop light. There was hardly any conversation, yet it felt very comfortable just being together.

When they arrived at Fisherman's Wharf, Christine noticed Erik driving away from the restaurants and toward the wharf itself. He parked the car on the pier and came around to open her door and then extended his hand to help her out. They walked arm in arm along the dark pier, and although there were many cars parked, it at first seemed quite deserted. Christine wondered why he was leading her into a large warehouse until they walked in. She knew immediately where they were. It was the famous San Francisco Fish Market where restaurateurs and chefs selected the finest fish they could buy to serve in their restaurants and hotels as they were unloaded from large fishing vessels.

From the moment they'd walked in, they were surroundedby a cacophony of sounds from forklifts bringing fish in from the docks, buyers and sellers making deals, and others meandering around looking for different types of fish. She'd never been here before, but she'd seen pictures and read articles about it, and the warehouse was very busy even at this late hour with large fish being bought and sold vigorously by people in the industry. As large and as busy as the warehouse was, she was amazed at how clean everything looked. Christine was very impressed with the entire operation and Erik was pleased to see that Christine was taking it all in and appreciating the work that went into bringing fish to the public. Knowledge was something Erik regarded very highly, and he was glad to see that it was apparently important to Christine as well. Rather than trying to rush through the warehouse to get away from the haggling and smell of fresh fish, Erik was pleased to see that Christine would often pause to take a closer look or listen to the negotiations that were taking place. He actually had to drag her away to resume their walk to the restaurant, which was actually a part of the fish market.

When they reached the center of the warehouse, Christine saw that there was a large restaurant in the middle that served the various seafood sold in the market they'd just walked through. It was separate from the rest of the warehouse by a low wall and was primarily for the people who did business there. They were led to a booth, and as they sat side by side, Erik pointed to the center of the restaurant. Christine turned, and behind glass, visible to the diners, was the food preparation area. As each plate was prepared, it was brought out by waiters and served to the diners. Christine had never seen such an operation before and thought it was not only very interesting, but also entertaining to see them actually preparing the meals for the diners.

The waiter returned to take their orders, and between them, they selected oysters on the half shell, snow crab, sashimi, fugu, sushi, and a salad, in addition to some white wine. The waiter placed some newspapers on their table as he went to place their order.

Christine wondered about this as she stared at the newspapers, and Erik smiled and explained, "We're supposed to spread the newspapers atop the table for the shells. They don't stand on ceremony here."

"No kidding!" Christine loved this. She loved the fish market environment, but the newspapers just took the cake.

Erik grinned at Christine's reaction and was pleased she liked it. "This is a one-stop fish market for the serious restaurateur. They even have classes on how to clean fish properly. Perhaps we could take a class someday when we have nothing better to do," he smirked.

Christine snorted. "I can hardly wait."

When they received their plates, they each went for their oysters first. They squeezed a little lemon on their respective oysters, but before Christine could eat hers, Erik held his out to her and tipped it into her mouth. Christine took it whole in her mouth and smiled mightily as she closed her eyes, savoring the lemony freshness of the oyster. Erik smiled and watched her in the throes of ecstasy. He knew exactly what she was feeling. While chewing her oyster and smiling, Christine began to emit a low moan which signaled immense satisfaction. Erik chuckled to himself for he knew that dining on a good oyster was an incomparable experience that could frequently elicit such a response.

When Christine finished, she opened her eyes and grinned. "That was _the_ freshest oyster I've ever had in my life! It's even better than sex!"

"I'll remember that." Erik smiled and made a mental note not to give her any more oysters after a certain point in their relationship. "Have you ever had fugu?" he asked as he gestured to a dish that looked like delicate lace on the plate.

She looked at it suspiciously. She'd never seen it before, much less eaten it, but she knew that it was a poisonous pufferfish that required great skill to prepare in order to be eaten, for numbers of people died by it each year. "Isn't it supposed to be poisonous?"she asked. But to answer his question, responded, "No, I haven't."

"Well," Erik smiled wickedly, noticing Christine's worried gaze, "you will tonight." He picked up a piece with his fork and offered it to her.

"Um, Erik, I don't know if I want to…" Christine didn't want to make a bad impression on their first date, but this was more than she'd bargained for.

Smiling ever so slightly, Erik leaned in closer and affected a seriously seductive glimmer in his eye as he held the fork up to her lips and stared at her in a manner nothing short of _devastating. _Christine froze as she was caught between his intense carnal stare and eternity. Erik leaned in closer still and planted a gentle kiss upon her lips before gazing at her and taking the fugu from the fork into his mouth.

The spell was broken as he pulled back, and Christine felt as though her feet were once again planted on the ground. As he chewed, she could tell by his expression that he was thoroughly enjoying the experience of having challenged her and eaten fugu. When he had swallowed with obviously no ill effects, he again pick up a forkful and held it out to her. This time, she smiled cautiously as she opened wide to accept his offer. She could tell that he was pleased that she had quelled her fears sufficiently to trust him. She didn't know what to expect, but as she chewed, she noticed that it was a very mild tasting fish, a little chewy perhaps, but not bad at all. She did feel a slight numbing sensation on her lips, however. Not nearly as tasty as oysters, but no doubt popular due to its notoriety as a killer. She had joined the small cadre of people worldwide who had eaten this poisonous fish and lived to tell the tale.

"The chef at this restaurant happens to be the foremost fugu chef in the country," Erik smiled as he casually handed her a crab cracker.

Christinen smiled wryly. "You could have told me that up front."

They began cracking crab and thoroughly enjoyed their meal, and it occurred to Christine that she'd never had a meal with someone where they would constantly look up and smile at one another. But apparently they couldn't help it, and Erik felt sure he was smiling more tonight than he had in the last year. He was glad he'd decided to bring Christine here because they were both relaxed and laughing and talking easily as they cracked crab, and as busy as it was out on the floor, no one had time to take note of his mask. When they finished their meal, they cleaned their hands on damp towels that were provided and got up to leave.

As they walked back to the car, Christine placed her arm through his. "Erik, thank you. That was the best seafood I've ever had!" Christine had lived in San Francisco almost all her life, but it took Erik to introduce her to The San Francisco Fish Market.

Erik was happy that she had enjoyed it. "You're quite welcome, my dear. Would you care to go for a walk?"

They walked along the pier and chatted about the food, the city, Christine's classes, the Phil, and anything else that came to mind as they saw the many fishing vessels that were docked until their next run. Erik found himself laughing out loud more than once at Christine's wry humor, and Christine was just as amused by Erik's dry one. She found that she loved the sound of Erik's clear, rich laughter, as though she could feel the very joy he was feeling at that moment. And yet, she felt somehow that he didn't laugh nearly enough.

When they reached the end of the lighted pier, they sat down on one of the large benches that looked out over the water, and they could see the oil derricks lit up miles from shore.

Erik placed his arms around her to keep her warm. "Perhaps one day we can drive down to Monterey and visit their aquarium. The Monterey Trench is just off the coast, and they've brought up some incredible creatures from the ocean floor."

"I'd love to. I've heard they have a wonderful jellyfish exhibit." Christine had been to the Monterey Aquarium when she was small, but knew it would be an entirely new experience with Erik. She could hardly wait. She was mesmerized by the lights off the oil derricks in the distance and thought about how wonderful this evening was.

She felt Erik graze her cheek gently with the back of his fingers and turned toward him. His lips were soon on hers and she closed her eyes as she felt herself floating away. How she loved the feel of him, as though it were always meant to be. She felt his tongue enter her mouth deeply and loved how closely and intimately they were able to touch and feel one another this way. When they parted, they sat there holding one another comfortably, looking out at the ocean and listening to the sound of the waves rushing under the pier. Christine was exactly where she wanted to be.

Erik was happier than he'd ever been. He was holding his angel, his Christine, and he wondered if she would always want to be with him. For his part, he knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for her, and he would do whatever he had to to keep her. No matter how long it took or whatever it took, he would make her fall in love with him. He would never let anything get between them, and woe be to anyone who tried.

It was getting rather late when they heard a low rumble in the distance and knew it foreshadowed a storm. They reluctantly got up and made their way back to the car. By the time they drove back to Madame Wu's, it was coming down in torrents. They parked down the street since there was nowhere else to park, and ran hand in hand all the way from the car to the store laughing and frantically making for shelter like a couple of teenagers. Before they reached the door, Erik suddenly stopped them as they stood under a bright streetlight. They were already soaked to the skin, so it really didn't matter how much longer they were in the rain. Christine was still grinning from their mad dash and looked up at Erik, wondering why he'd stopped. He was still smiling as he looked down at her, and he brought his hand up to her face which was now wet and dripping. "Christine, you're so beautiful," he murmured.

The street light illuminated their circle of ground, and Christine thought Erik looked so handsome as the rain fell down around them. His hair was wet and dripping down the front and sides of his face and his mask was wet, yet she thought he looked so wonderful. They stood there in the rain with their lips joined, holding one another. Christine could vaguely hear the rain pounding on the pavement and on the rooftops, but tonight there was only she and Erik, and nothing else in the world mattered…


	13. The Forbidden City

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers. Your reviews and comments mean more to me than you know. Thanks also to my many readers who have not yet reviewed. And special thanks to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 13

The Forbidden City

By the time Erik returned home, he looked as though he'd come back from a swim in the ocean. He knew he'd have to spend tomorrow cleaning his car, but he didn't care, he was ecstatic. Despite the rain, their date had been perfect. Christine had been suitably impressed with The Fish Market, she didn't once stare at his mask, and they'd had a wonderfully enjoyable time together. The Bal Masque and now their dinner…two memorable evenings with Christine.

He smiled as he went to the bathroom and stripped down out of his wet clothes. He turned on the shower and turned towards the mirror, looking at his image, wet and bedraggled. _Actually, I don't think I look too bad all wet. _He moved a few strands of hair over his forehead. _Hmm…I wonder if she could've thought I looked sexy like this? Right, forget it. _

He removed his mask and stepped into the shower. The hot water felt wonderful and he stood under it for awhile with his eyes closed, turning around to get some shampoo. His thoughts were filled with Christine. She looked so beautiful tonight. He remembered everything, what she wore, her hair, how her eyes lit up, the way her hair shone under the bright lights at the fish market. And when she laughed, he couldn't help laughing with her because whatever she found funny, he invariably found funny, too. He remembered the way they'd look at each over dinner and smile. He couldn't remember why he felt like smiling so much then, but it felt right at the time.

And when they'd gone for a walk on the pier and sat on the bench, it had felt right to hold her again and kiss her. He thought about that, how he'd felt when his lips touched hers, and when his tongue met with hers. She'd probably showered the moment she got home and was most likely in bed now. He suddenly had an image of Christine taking a shower, washing herself, rinsing off. He imagined how glorious she must look with the water running off her skin, the curve of her breasts, her buttocks… He was rinsing the lather out of his hair now, but he could feel his member swelling at these thoughts, he couldn't help it.

And he could feel a needing as well, in his chest. The more he thought of her, the more he wanted to be with her again. He loved being around her, and he loved the conversations they had. They were able to talk about just about anything, and he found that refreshing. Most people could never get past the mask and invariably would start talking to it instead of to him. After awhile, he did well to avoid talking to anyone at all if he could help it, with the exception of Amir, but he thought that was most likely due to their long history. Christine on the other hand always spoke to _him,_ and he loved her for it. For once, she made him feel like a whole man, and not a man behind a mask.

The mask. She'd never said anything about it nor ever given any real attention to it, but given time, how could she not? He wondered how long it'd be before she asked him to take it off so she could see what lay beneath? People were naturally curious and that was one reason he hadn't tried to get close to anyone before Christine. Amir had never asked to see his face, although he did see it eventually by accident. But Amir never cared what Erik looked like. They were partners doing a very important job, and that was all that mattered. At the time, the mask had even proved an advantage. Women were always intrigued by it and men feared it. It worked out well back then.

Anubis hopped up onto his bed and came over to him. Erik stretched out and petted her and scratched her stomach. _It's nice having her around_ he thought. He'd gotten her when she was a kitten, and though he'd always lived alone, having Anubis there made the apartment seem less empty.

_

* * *

He'd been in Persia for several months and had come into the employ of the Shah as his chief architect. Although he was always in the company of those from the royal court or other builders, he hadn't formed any friendships and no one wanted to remain in the company of the masked foreigner any longer than necessary. Each day after work he would return alone to his apartment in the palace and would prepare his own meals and read to amuse himself. And since he had the time, he honed his culinary skills and became quite adept at preparing meals he was sure even the Shah could appreciate. As chief architect, he was expected to attend numerous royal functions and banquets as part of the Shah's court, and so was instructed in etiquette and protocol from those charged with overseeing the smooth running of the royal house. There was television and radio, but the state-sponsored programs were uninteresting and he'd never developed an appreciation for Middle Eastern music. It had taken awhile for him to become accustomed to their food, and until he had, he'd lost quite a bit of weight. _

_He rarely came in contact with the women from the harem or the Shah's daughters, but when he did, the Shah's youngest daughter, who was about fifteen at the time, had always treated him with kindness and respect. One evening, after he had returned home from work, she had come to his apartment with her bodyguard to present him with a gift. It was a kitten, a beautiful black Angora. "To keep you company," she had said sweetly. _

_He was greatly moved by her kindness for no one had ever given him such a lovely gift in his life. He faithfully cared for the kitten and loved it, and was charmed when it would come bounding out to greet him when he would return home after a day of work. In the evenings it would curl up in his lap and purr loudly when he would scratch her ears as he read, and at night it would lay atop his bed as he fell asleep. Erik had never been one to indulge in playtime, yet he looked forward to the evenings when he could play with the kitten on the carpeted floor, laughing at her antics as she chased a bit of yarn or a small ball of fabric she fancied to be a mouse. He named her Nefertiri, in honor of the Egyptian queen known for her beauty, and had come to love her as his only companion. _

_After some time, the Shah had enlisted him in covert activities in addition to his duties as chief architect. He was instructed to work and train with Amir Khan, another young operative in the employ of the Shah. Erik's life changed drastically from then on, and in the evenings when he would return home, he found that his time with Nefertiri became even more important for it kept him grounded in reality after days and months of practicing killing techniques, training with weapons, and learning about computer terrorism. _

_For many months in the early days after having been teamed with Amir, Erik would find himself following his new partner on their days off, to whatever activity he may have had planned, to determine what kind of man he really was. Was he a man he could trust with his life, or would he be a man he could never turn his back on? As it turned out, Amir was a devoted son and brother to his family, and the most honorable man he had ever met. _

_Given the nature of their work, Erik had thought it incredible that Amir could become physically involved with their targets and then kill them as coldly as he did, and then return to his family to again become the loving son. They became as brothers, and when Erik was condemned by the Shah for execution after completion of the palace, it was Amir who left all he knew behind in order to save his life, at great risk to his own. And when Erik had inquired after his cat Nefertiri, Amir assured him that he had left her in the keeping of the Shah's young daughter. Erik was pleased that Nefertiri would be well cared for for the remainder of her life and even wondered if she would ever miss him. He knew he would miss her although being just a cat, but she had been his only companion during those dark times, and he had loved and cared for her._

_When he returned to his position at the Phil and became their resident composer, Amir surprised him on his birthday with another black Angora kitten, and he lived in quiet seclusion atop the Phil ever since. _

_Until Christine._

_

* * *

Wednesday evening _

EDupont:Good evening, cheri.

AriaMaven: Good evening, Erik.

EDupont: How are we this evening?

AriaMaven:We're fine. A little bored perhaps.

EDupont: Bored? And why is that?

AriaMaven: After the Bal Masque and The Fish Market, everything else seems to pale in comparison. The same thing each day, going to school, to work, and then home.

EDupont: Ah, such is the fabric of our lives, cheri. It is left up to us to make our lives what we wish it to be. You are meant to one day become a great opera diva, but until that day comes, you must go to school and work, and then come home. We are all alone in living our lives, until we find someone to share it with. That is all we can do, cheri, make our lives as we wish it to be, and perhaps find someone along the way to share that life with.

AriaMaven: You're right. We try to have the best life we can alone until we find someone to share it with. Thank you, Erik. Such a simple concept, but I guess I just get lost sometimes.

EDupont: You're welcome, my dear. All of us are alone in this world until we find someone. It helps, I think, when one has family and friends, but it's not the same has having someone special. You are quite special to me, Christine.

AriaMaven: Thank you, Erik. You're quite special to me, too.

EDupont: Are you busy this weekend, cheri? I would very much like to see my special friend.

AriaMaven: I'd love to see you, too. I don't have any plans for the weekend except laundry.

EDupont: Then would you like to get together this Saturday evening at eight?

AriaMaven:I'd love to.

EDupont: I shall see you then, cheri. Dress formally. Good night, Christine.

AriaMaven: I can't wait. Good night, Erik.

_

* * *

Thursday noon _

Christine set her tray down next to Megan's as they had lunch in the conservatory's cafeteria. One of the advantages of attending such a prestigious school had been the excellence and variety of their food.

"Can you believe there are times when I'll wait all month for a certain menu? I mean, where else can you get a taco salad as part of a school lunch?" Megan happily skewered some lettuce and beef as she looked over at Christine's tray.

Christine smiled over at her. "I know what you mean. I'm kind of partial to their Caesar salads myself. Are you ready for your finals?"

Megan's smile dimmed slightly. "As ready as I'll ever be I guess. It won't be long before we'll both be out of here."

"I know. Have you thought about where you'll go from here?"

Megan picked at her salad. "I think most of the performance majors will try out at the Phil and then work their way out from there. I'll be trying out for sure, but that's not to say I'll get accepted. I mean, they only take so many from each major. And then you've got students from out of state and foreign students applying because everybody wants to come to California."

"Well, I don't think you'll have anything to worry about," Christine said reassuringly. "You're the best ballet dancer in the school, they'd have to take you."

"Same with your singing. You're better than good." Actually, Megan strongly suspected that Christine's talent went far beyond the Phil. "Has Erik ever said anything about that?"

"No, not really. Just that I should audition after I graduate. What about Amir?"

"I don't think he's ever seen me dance, but I did mention that I was a dance major."

Christine sipped her lemonade. "Erik and I do talk about the arts a lot, though. We have a lot in common there, and we seem to have the same taste in movies and music. Besides opera and the classics, he seems to like jazz a lot."

Megan smiled mysteriously.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking how great it'd be if we both got accepted at the Phil, and then we'd have Erik and Amir there, too. I mean, how cool would that be?" she smiled. "When will you see Erik again?

"Saturday. He's going to take me someplace special because he said to dress up. When are you going to see Amir again?"

"I'm not sure, sometime this weekend. He was a little vague on details." Megan paused. "I think he likes me."

Christine glanced up at her from her salad and smiled. "Of course he does. I mean, what's not to like?"

Megan sipped her soda. "I've never met anyone like him before. He's older than the guys I've been going out with, but he's so much cooler than they are. He's brilliant and sophisticated, and as sexy as hell!"

Christine grinned. "Sounds like Erik. He's the best looking man I've ever seen in my life, and that's just half his face!"

Megan laughed. "Yeah, they're both an eyeful, and I think they're close friends, too, which makes it nice. Maybe we can double date sometime."

"That'd be fun. We went to The Fish Market Sunday, it was a lot of fun."

"Erik took you to a fish market?" Megan asked, puzzled.

Christine giggled. "Not just any fish market, silly, the Great San Francisco Fish Market on the wharf!"

"Oh, _that_ one!" she grinned. "How'd you like it?"

"It was great! It was quite an experience, I'd never been there before. We should go for lunch sometime, I think you'd like it. The food's _incredible, _and I actually ate some fugu."

Megan looked up. "Isn't that poisonous? How was it?"

Christine smiled, amused. "It wasn't bad, I liked it, but my lips were a little numb after I ate it."

"Wow, I'm impressed." Megan's eyes were wide and she did look impressed. "Maybe I'll try it, too, sometime, but probably not in the near future." She paused before asking, "And how was the _date_?"

Christine grinned widely. "It was great…he kissed me in the rain. We got soaked, but it was so worth it."

"That's so cool," Megan smiled, finishing her salad. "I'm really glad 'Ed' turned out to be Erik. It couldn't have turned out any better. And I hope things work out with Amir, too. He's just so…so…"

"…physical?" Christine ventured.

"You noticed it, too?"

Christine groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Yes…he's very _physical_," Megan said dreamily. "Don't get me started…"

Christine probably would have asked her what she'd meant by that, but she was remembering her own good time with Erik.

"So what are you going to wear for your special Saturday night?"

"My little black dress of course."

_

* * *

Saturday evening _

It was eight o'clock and he was right on time as Christine heard the doorbell. She took one last look in the mirror to make sure she looked perfect before she grabbed her wrap and her evening bag and prepared to open the door. She decided she would stand in the doorway in a very sexy come-and-get-me pose and give him a very sultry "Good Evening" so he could get the full impact of her form-fitting evening gown.

She squared her shoulders and opened the door, prepared to be sexy, but as she laid her eyes on him, was stunned speechless by an unbelievably gorgeous vision. He was dressed in an impeccable black three-piece suit that fit him like a second skin, a red silk dress shirt with a red tie, set off by a matching red silk handkerchief that just peeked out of his chest pocket, and a masculine diamond tie tack. He wore his signature white mask and his hair was combed back from his gorgeous face which now sported a rakish half-smile that could also have been a smirk. She could only stare mutely with her mouth open until it finally went into gear and she whispered a breathy "hi." She vaguely wondered if he would ever _not_ impress her.

"Good evening, cheri," he said softly. Christine looked perfect. She wore a simple black form-fitting evening gown that clung to her every curve. A slit went up the side and the high neckline of her gown was cut so that her shoulders and arms were bare. Her black satin high heeled sandals matched her satin evening bag, and aside from her wristwatch and earrings, he noticed she wore his necklace as the centerpiece to her gown. She was gorgeous. He stepped forward and gathered her into his arms. He closed his eyes as he held her tightly. He never wanted to lose her. "You look beautiful," he murmured as he kissed her cheek. "Are we ready to go?"

Christine reveled in his embrace. "Yes, I'm ready," she smiled.

Christine felt like a school girl on her way to the prom. She was so excited, and as they made their way to the car, she noticed that Erik had a different one tonight. It was a beautiful vehicle, large and black, and it said "Maybach" on the side. _I've never heard of that make before. I wonder if it's from Europe? _As she stepped into the car, she was struck by the plushness of the interior and felt herself surrounded by luxury. Erik came around to get into the driver's seat and they were soon off.

There was hardly any conversation on the way to the restaurant although soft jazz was playing in the background, but it was a relaxed silence. There was no pressure to talk just for the sake of filling time, they just enjoyed each other's company. But whenever they slowed down or came to a stoplight, Erik would look over at Christine and smile or take her hand in his. She thought he looked so dashing and debonair, come to carry her away in his elegant black carriage, while Erik in turn thought that she was the most beautiful and precious creature in the world.

When they arrived at their destination, Christine noticed that they had parked before one of the many five-star hotels in the city. The enormous circular driveway and hotel entrance was brightly lit and decorated with twinkling lights and beautiful plants and palms everywhere. A uniformed valet opened her door and Erik came around and extended his hand as he helped her alight from the car. Christine appreciated Erik's chivalry that seemed so natural to him. As Erik's car was driven into the hotel parking garage, a doorman genially opened the large glass door for them. Christine had never been in a five-star hotel before and immediately noticed the difference between the hotels she was accustomed to and what the "rich" were evidently accustomed to. Everything just looked so _big. _The hotel lobby's ceiling went as high as the hotel itself, and on either side you could see glass elevators making their way up and down the length of the fifty-story building. She was surprised when Erik led her over to one of these elevators, for before this she'd only seen them in movies.

As they stepped into the elevator, Christine noticed they were the only ones going up. She was glad she had ahold of Erik's arm as they ascended because aside from being afraid of heights, the glass enclosure made it seem as though they could very easily walk out into thin air if they took two steps in any direction. Erik felt her inadvertently tighten her grip on his arm and he placed a comforting hand over hers as he looked down and smiled beautifully at her. When she looked up into his eyes, she was immediately comforted by the warmth she saw there, and she knew nothing could ever happen to her while he was there with her.

When the elevator finally chimed that they had reached the fiftieth floor, the doors slid open quietly, facing the entrance to a magnificent restaurant: The Forbidden City.


	14. Mocha Bee's

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 14

Mocha Bee's

The Forbidden City was dark, very upscale and ultramodern, and yet it exuded an opulence reminiscent of ancient China. Elegant black and brushed gold enhanced the old world motif, while beautifully carved dark wood and wall hangings depicting landscapes and mythic creatures conveyed an unmistakable feeling of affluence and luxury, as did the diners who were elegantly turned out. The large windows around the restaurant looked out over the city as far as the Pacific Ocean, and each table was lit with a small votive candle which looked like a black sea filled with tiny twinkling lights. Erik favored this restaurant because as dimly lit as it was, no one ever took notice of him or his mask.

"Welcome back, Mr. Dupont." A beautiful Chinese hostess greeted them graciously and offered Erik a small metal pad. As Erik spoke to her, he handed it back and she led them to a very intimate booth by the window. Christine was very impressed with everything, but especially with the fact that she was even here, for she had never imagined she'd ever dine here unless Rick brought her, but he never had. The Forbidden City was indeed unique in that every customer was required to register their personal information and thumbprint with the restaurant in order to become part of its exclusive customer roster. This information was kept meticulously current and was accessed through metal touch pads. A record of all transactions past and present were saved in the company's computer and a statement was issued at month's end. All information was highly confidential, and this scrupulous attention to detail was one reason why it was considered one of the finest restaurants in the world.

When the hostess asked what they would like to drink, Christine thought white wine would be a safe bet. "I'll have champagne, please."

"Yes, make it Krug," Erik ordered.

As the hostess left them their menus and went to fill their drink order, Christine suddenly became nervous. She wasn't a wine connoisseur by any means, but she did know that Krug was twice as expensive as Dom Perignon. One flute could be the equivalent of one month's electric bill.

"Are you all right?" Erik asked, concerned.

Christine nodded her head. "Yes, thank you. It's just so beautiful up here," she smiled nervously, but then sobered suddenly as she worriedly scanned the view out the window. "Wait…where did the ocean go? It was right there, but it's not there anymore!"

Erik smiled and pointed behind her. "It's over there now. The restaurant revolves once every hour."

Christine gave an embarrassed chuckle, relieved that seeing the ocean hadn't been a figment of her imagination. This was a night of firsts for her. As Christine opened the beautifully engraved menu, she thought the gold Chinese characters were beautiful, and aside from the variety of their offerings, was amazed that there were no prices listed! Although English was written next to the Chinese name of each entrée, she had always been adventurous when it came to food, so she decided on a different tact. She returned her menu to the table. Erik looked up and she smiled. "Could you order for me, please?"

"It would be my pleasure," he smiled in return. She actually trusted him to order something she liked, and Erik was surprised that this simple gesture could mean so much. As one who always needed to be in control, this was wholly unexpected.

As the waiter poured their champagne and took their order, Erik raised his glass in a toast. "To you, mon ange." Christine smiled and they clinked their glasses together and took a sip.

"And to you, too, Erik," Christine smiled. "To thank you for waiting for me." They again touched glasses and took another sip.

Erik inquired, "How do you like this champagne?"

"It's….perfect. I've never had anything like it." It was true, and she could understand why it was considered the finest champagne in the world.

Erik was glad she liked it. Christine was so grateful for everything that came her way. He appreciated that she never seemed to take anything for granted. He liked that very much about her. He took the hand that she had laid on the table and gently kissed it. _Could she really love me? Could she accept what's behind this mask? _

As he held her hand, his thumb lightly stroked the back of her fingers. It made the area around her heart tingle, and she wondered if he was even aware of his sensuality or the effect he had on her. He treated her with such tenderness, and although Rick had been tender, she'd never felt the passion with him that she felt whenever she was around Erik. And his eyes were the most beautiful and intense she'd ever seen. It was as though she could see his whole life in them…his pain, sadness, fear, hope, happiness, and above all, his brilliance. She wanted to know so much more about him.

"So, how did you come to know Madame Gerard and Madame Wu and her grandson?"

Erik's eyes twinkled as he began to tell her about himself. "I met Antoinette when I lived in France. I was born in Paris and I lived there with my parents and brother and sister until I started attending university. When I was about twelve, I met Antoinette when she became my tutor. I didn't go to a public school, she tutored me at home, and I owe her so much because she helped direct my interest in music. She tutored me until I went to university where I majored in music. While I was there, she took a teaching position in San Francisco. I thought I'd never see her again, but we kept in touch with letters, and when I graduated, I moved to San Francisco. I've been here pretty much ever since."

"Did you know her daughter Megan when you lived in France?"

"Yes I did, but she was very young. When I left to go to university, she was only about seven, so she probably doesn't remember me."

"Do you ever miss your family?" she asked wistfully. Christine missed her own family terribly.

"No. I was never close to my family, and they were probably glad to see me go. I haven't seen them since I left school, and I have no desire to see them. I have a few friends here that I consider my family, and they've been enough for me." Erik knew he didn't have many friends, but the ones he had he cherished.

Christine was glad that he was being so forthcoming in telling her about himself. All of her doubts were being laid to rest one by one. "And so how did you get to know Madame Wu and her grandson?"

He smiled beautifully then. "Actually, I met them during the commission of a crime."

Christine's eyes widened. "How did it happen?"

"It happened a few years after I'd moved here. I was just walking down the street late at night when I was jumped from behind by a couple of thugs who just wanted to rob someone. They'd beaten me pretty badly when Evan and Madame Wu showed up, and they scared them away."

Christine couldn't help smiling at this. "How in the world did Madame Wu scare them away?"

Erik smiled at the memory. "It's true Evan did most of the work, but all I'll say about Madame Wu is, don't _ever_ make the mistake of assuming she's a helpless old lady. After they scared them away, they took me back to their house to patch me up and got me back home. They've been my family ever since."

Christine thought that was a wonderful story. "You're so lucky to have a family again. I know they must mean a great deal to you."

"Yes, they mean the world to me even though I don't get to see them as often as I'd like."

"And Dr. Khan, how long have you known him?" Erik seemed to stiffen slightly and Christine thought she saw something darken in his eyes, but as soon as she looked for it, it was gone. Perhaps she just imagined it.

"I met him while I was working overseas for a few years, and we met through our jobs."

"What kind of work did you do overseas?"

Erik was not smiling now although he answered her. "Just errands for the government." He paused to take a sip of his champagne. "But please, tell me about yourself now." Erik hoped he'd never have to tell her about his time in Persia. Christine would probably react badly if she learned that he had been a trained assassin. He already knew about her losing her parents in a fiery multi-car crash a few years ago because he'd made it his business to know all about her, but his past was best left buried.

It seemed to Christine that his time with the government was a subject he didn't wish to discuss. She wondered why, but felt it was just one more thing she'd learn about him in time. "Well, I'm an only child and my parents died about three years ago in a car accident. I got accepted to the conservatory on a scholarship and now Megan and her mother are my only family. I've known them since I was small. Actually, that's it in a nutshell, there's not much more to it."

She would have liked to have asked him more, but the waiter brought their food and the presentation was beautiful. Erik had ordered a number of dishes Christine had never seen before and was anxious to try. Erik was pleased to see that Christine was willing to try a little bit of everything. He noticed she was quite adept at using chopsticks and was glad to see that she didn't shy away from anything, even the dishes that may have seemed unfamiliar or unrecognizable at first. Erik enjoyed being able to widen Christine's culinary horizons, and all the more so because she was such a willing pupil. Christine for her part was having a wonderful time. The food was wonderful, and she knew she'd remember this evening for as long as she lived.

As their dinner progressed, Christine had tried dishes she'd never even heard of and loved them all. Erik was the perfect host and guide, making sure that her dinner was enjoyable in all respects. As they finished their meal, their plates were cleared away and they sat next to each other comfortably, drinking hot green tea as they looked out at the lights from the city. Their hostess returned and smiled pleasantly as she left a small porcelain tray on the table between them which contained two fortune cookies. Christine wondered why it seemed as though this were a big production. Erik noticed her bemused expression and explained that these were special fortune cookies. They were made right there in the restaurant only for their customers, and they were individually divined by a Chinese mystic. And to emphasize the significance of it, Erik said mysteriously, "They say he's never wrong."

Intrigued, Christine took one of the fortune cookies and broke it open, reading her fortune. She smiled and looked up expectedly at Erik.

"What does it say?" he smiled.

Christine handed it to him. _You will astonish the world._

Erik nodded. "I already know you will." He picked up his fortune cookie and hesitated before he broke it open. As he read it, he became somber.

Christine noticed his sudden seriousness. "What does it say?"

Erik handed it to her. _You will find what you seek above all else. _He gave a small half-smile as he placed the fortune in his shirt pocket.

Christine took her fortune and placed it in her evening bag. Erik rose and took her hand as they walked through the restaurant and the sea of twinkling lights toward the elevator, and again, no one took notice of them. Christine took one last look around The Forbidden City and knew she would never forget this night.

She took Erik's arm as they again stepped into the elevator. She was sure now that going down the elevator was definitely worse than going up. She looked up at Erik and smiled. "Erik, thank you. That was the most wonderful dinner I've ever had. I'll always remember it."

He looked down at her warmly and smiled. "You're quite welcome, mon ange."

She was relieved when they finally reached the lobby and she shakily stepped out of the elevator. The valet returned their car, and as they drove off into the night, Christine wondered if Erik would be taking her back home now even though it was still rather early.

As they drove on, Christine enjoyed the jazz that played over the speakers. The acoustics in the car were phenomenal even at low volume. There was little conversation, but again, whenever they stopped at a light or stop sign, Erik would look over and smile or take her hand. She was so comfortable around him that she didn't feel the need to have to make conversation all the time, and she appreciated that very much. After they'd driven for awhile, Christine noticed that they were passing fewer and fewer businesses and even fewer streetlights. It seemed Erik had driven into an area that was primarily a wood, and now there were no lights at all. He had slowed the car down considerably and Christine wondered if he intended to park in the dark. "Erik?"

He slowly pulled the car up into a narrow driveway and into a small, dimly lit parking lot that contained some other cars. After he parked and turned off the engine, he gracefully exited his side and came over to open her door as he extended his hand to her. She took his hand and exited the car with her wrap as they walked out of the parking lot, and Christine noticed that all of the other cars were also high-end vehicles. She had no idea where in the city they were. "Erik, where are we?"

"You'll see," he answered quietly.

As Erik led her along, it seemed he was leading her directly into the dark wood with the only light coming from fireflies, although she could tell they were on an asphalt walkway. Considering her surroundings, Christine couldn't help her imagination from running wild again. _I really don't know him that well and he's been stalking me for four years. He could rape me right now and dump my body in the forest and no one would ever know! _

Erik felt Christine start to tremble and put his arm around her as he continued to lead her into the forest toward the fireflies. They had gotten to within a few feet of them when Christine was startled to see that they weren't fireflies at all, but twinkling lights. Before long, walkway lights appeared along the path that led them to a wooden bridge that went across a running creek and up to a rundown little house. Christine realized no one would ever come here unless they knew of it because it wouldn't be visible from the road even in daylight. As they approached the front door, Christine noticed a small lighted sign next to the door on the side of the house: Mocha Bee's.

Erik knocked lightly on the door, and a deep masculine voice asked _"who's there?" _

Erik answered, "Erik Dupont," and the door opened silently. As they stepped in, Christine saw that they were in a small, nondescript room with an attractive woman behind a counter to the right for checking coats and umbrellas, judging by the racks behind her. Christine thought the room looked like an airlock, for directly in front of them now was a large revolving glass door guarded by the man who had granted them entry. He was large and powerfully built, and looked as though he could have stepped off the cover of GQ magazine.

"Good evening, Mr. Dupont," he smiled and nodded as he directed them forward.

Erik nodded and directed Christine to go through the revolving door, which she was surprised to find was very heavy. It had been silent in the anteroom, but the moment she stepped through the revolving door, Christine found herself surrounded by mellow, upbeat music. The club was a large, dimly lit room that seemed very modern due to its design using steel beams and rods, yet looked distinctly gothic in the dimness. The room was lit by recessed lighting and neon cutouts in the walls, and each table was lit by a tiny blue hanging lamp. The floors consisted of a series of shallow concentric tiers, each bordered by industrial railing for safety, with the stage and a small dance floor at the very bottom. Recessed alcoves housed booths at the very top in the walls, and each successive tier had tables and chairs.

When they both entered the main room, they were greeted by a very handsome older gentleman.

"Mr. Dupont, welcome back," he smiled graciously. "Your usual table?"

"Yes, thank you, Jerome." Erik smiled and shook his hand. "May I introduce Ms. Christine Karlsson."

Jerome smiled warmly and gently shook her hand. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Ms. Karlsson. Please follow me."

He led them to an elegant booth in a corner, and as they settled in, asked what they would like to drink.

"Courvoisier, please." Erik looked over at Christine and gently smiled, and again she was struck by how elegant and handsome he was. As surprised as Christine had been when she'd first walked in, she was impressed by how comfortable she felt there with Erik amidst all the well-heeled customers seated around the room. She thought that Erik always carried himself regally, as though he were born to this and to living in wealth. She had never been one to frequent high-priced establishments before, mainly because she'd never felt totally at ease even while in Rick's company, but it was different with Erik. He made her felt like the most important person in the world, and his acceptance made her feel as though she belonged here as well.

Their waiter, a very handsome young man in fitted black dress pants, a black tee shirt and a black kerchief tied around his neck, brought their warmed cognac in a couple of large snifters. Christine gently swirled her drink before taking a sip, and then felt the liquid smoothly make its way down her throat. It tasted very rich and refined. She liked it. As she and Erik settled into their booth, Erik placed his arm around her and she leaned back into him as they sat comfortably listening to the rich and mellow sounds of smooth jazz. The music was perfect and they had a wonderful time as they talked and laughed about any and everything while they held hands. When a torch singer came out to perform, Christine thought the club reminded her of 1930's Casablanca. She loved the exotic ambiance.

The evening ended much too soon for Christine as Erik stood and offered his hand as they prepared to leave. Christine excused herself to visit the ladies room before they left, and as she walked into the lounge, she heard a of couple women talking in another part of the room.

"…and then he yells at her and tells her she can sing it the way it was written or she's out of the show! He's the only one that can control her. I love it when he yells at her, he is _so_ sexy!"

"I know, I was there. I've done everything to get his attention short of standing on my head for years, but what's with the mask?"

Christine froze.

"I don't know, just eccentric probably, you know how these artistes are. I've been trying to get his attention, too, but hell, as hot as he is, I wouldn't care if he wore a…." The voices faded as they left the room.

Christine went over to wash her hands and reapply her lipstick, thinking about what she'd just heard. She wasn't surprised that Erik should be so sought after by women, after all, she'd thought as much the moment she saw him, but hearing it now as she did, she was reminded strongly of the women from the Philharmonic who were at the Bal Masque. _And yet he wants to be with me._ Christine felt a warm glow in her heart as she returned to find Erik.

Erik was waiting for her by the revolving door, and he was rather surprised by her happy return, but she simply gave him a quick kiss as they exited the airlock. As they walked along the walkway back to the car, Erik asked quietly, "Did you enjoy that, cheri?"

Christine smiled brightly. "Yes, I loved Mocha Bee's! Thank you, I don't remember when I've had such a wonderful evening."

"I'm glad."

When they reached the car, Erik opened the door for her, and as he hopped into the driver's side, he noticed that Christine sat facing him this time, with her legs tucked to the side. He noticed a slight change in her demeanor and body language and wondered what had happened to effect this change, not that he minded, but as they pulled out of the parking lot and back onto the street, he felt comfortable enough to place his hand on her thigh as Christine placed her hand atop his. As he drove, Erik thought how natural this all felt, and unbeknownst to him, Christine thought the same. As Erik drove them back into the city, the familiar streetlights and stores came back into view and Christine was reminded of how frightened she'd been earlier when he'd driven into the darkened forest. She thought about this and realized that his dark and enigmatic nature were a part of why she found him so alluring. There would probably always be parts of Erik she didn't understand for he didn't let her in on all of his thoughts or about his past like Rick had, but she was sure he had his reasons. _He's so different from anyone I've ever known… I like him, a lot._

As they reached Madame Wu's, Erik walked Christine up the stairs to her apartment as she unlocked her door. She turned and again fondly looked up into those deep amber eyes that went on forever. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome." Erik lightly brushed her hair back from her face. His lips gently met hers, and his arms went around her to hold her tightly. Christine raised her lips to meet his, and as she held him, again felt the sensation of floating and knew that it was he who held her up. When their lips parted, they stood holding one another for a long time because neither wanted to let the other go. But when they did, they knew that each time, it was getting harder.

"Goodnight, Erik."

"Goodnight, Christine."

_

* * *

Wednesday evening at Erik's _

"So how did it go?"

"Better than I'd hoped, and the mask wasn't an issue. She loved The Forbidden City, she ate everything. I won't have to give up my squid and sea cucumbers."

"Really. Then she's definitely a keeper. What did she think about the fortune cookies?" Amir set up the chess pieces as Erik put the finishing touches on the canapés.

"She was intrigued. I don't know if she believed it, but she kept the fortune."

"Those fortunes are pretty scary. After the last one, I don't know if I'll ever want to open another."

"Which one was that?" Erik turned to blend a new margarita recipe.

"You should know, you were there."

"You mean the one with the snakes?" Erik grinned.

"The fortune said _'You will drive the snakes away.' _Would you take that literally?"

"No, but you did drive them away. About a mile, if I remember correctly, before they came out of hiding." Amir and Erik had been driving through a wood during a fishing trip to the lake. Amir had driven about a mile up the road when a couple of snakes had crawled down out of the front console, one of them crawling up Amir's pant leg. Erik had been able to dispatch one snake and toss it out the window, but he'd marveled at Amir's cool handling of the snake in his pants. He was certain most men would have driven off into the lake.

Amir shook his head, trying to forget. "So what did your fortune say this time?"

Erik selected two margarita glasses made of green Mexican glass. He took a lime wedge and ran it around the rims and then dipped them in salt. He ran the blender briefly for a final blending and then elegantly poured the margarita into the glasses. "It said I would get what I seek most. Maybe my luck will finally turn."

They sat down at the table with their margaritas and a tray of appetizers as they again squared off across the chess board. "Maybe it'll turn for both of us," Amir said softly. "What did she think of Mocha Bee's?"

Erik looked up. "How did you know we were there?"

"We were sitting in a booth on the other side of the room."

"I didn't see you. Who did you go with?"

"Ms. Gerard. Charming lady, I rather like her."

"Really. Perhaps we will double date sometime." Erik sipped his margarita. "What do you think?" he asked, indicating the drink.

Amir took a sip. "Not bad, but not the ultimate. The search is still on." As the defeated player from their last round, Amir made the first move by advancing his pawn two spaces. "You've shown Christine dashing at the Bal Masque and elegant last night. What's next? Surely not romantic?"

"Of course not, it's still too early for that. I thought I'd do excitement or adventure this time, something to get her blood racing." Erik seemed lost in thought for a moment as he gazed out the window.

"The last time I saw you look like that was back in Persia," Amir noted as he sipped his drink.

_Yes, Erik was back in Persia. He was with one of the Shah's daughters and she was young and beautiful. Their run along the shores of Mazanderan had been exhilarating. When they were far from the palace, they had walked their horses and watered them when she surprised him by giving him not one, but three kisses, the last one deep and lingering which he remembered to this day. When he asked her why she had kissed him, she said that it was because she knew what her father and the Khanum required of him, but she didn't believe that that was who he really was. She also knew she couldn't help him, but she wanted to give him the gift of her kisses so he would never forget that there was love and beauty in the world. _He closed his eyes at the memory.

"Erik?" Amir had been looking at him.

Erik opened his eyes. "Yes, I'd like to show her excitement this time. Maybe horse back riding along the beach, or in Golden Gate Park."

"If you want to show her excitement, my friend, take my boat."

Erik nodded. _Yes, a boat would be perfect. _


	15. Excitement

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 15

Excitement

_Wednesday afternoon._

Christine was staring intently at her class syllabus as she walked through halls of the Philharmonic. She'd already been there an hour running down resources for her Music History paper. She'd just turned a corner to make her way back out to the lobby when she suddenly ran headlong into someone. With a startled cry, she flung her hand out toward the wall, but it was the strong grasp of the man she'd almost knocked down that kept her on her feet.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going!" she stammered as she tried to steady herself.

"Christine? Is that you?"

She looked up, and was shocked to see that it was Roan Richards who was holding her arm. "Roan? What are you doing here?"

He smiled, "I work here. I'm in the same department as Rick."

"I was working on my Music History paper and was just on my way out when I ran into you," she smiled, embarrassed. "I'd better get going, but it was nice seeing you again."

"I was just on my way over to Gaston's. If you're not in a hurry, would you like to join me for a bite?"

"Thanks, that's really nice of you, but I was just going to visit the gift shop and then get home. I have to finish my paper."

"That's okay, maybe another time. Good seeing you," he smiled and then turned to walk out of the building toward Gaston's.

_That was really sweet of him to ask me to lunch even though he doesn't know me well. _

It was almost two o'clock and she needed to get home, but she wanted to take a look in the Phil's gift shop. She knew she couldn't afford the type of jewelry they carried, but it spoke well for the Philharmonic that their gift shop was as popular as the gift shops downtown, if not more so. As she looked at the various display pieces in the jewelry case, one piece in particular caught her eye. It was a duplicate of the very necklace that Erik had given her the night of the Bal Masque. _But this one was $500! Why would any man give someone a $500 necklace on a first date! It couldn't possibly be for sex, because who'd buy sex with a $500 necklace? I gotta talk to Megan!_

_

* * *

Wednesday evening, Fong's Chinese Restaurant _

"Thanks for suggesting we eat here. This is my favorite place for Chinese," Megan said between mouthfuls of chow mein.

Christine had suggested dinner at Fong's since it was just down the street from Madame Wu's and it'd been a convenient excuse to talk to Megan about Erik's $500 gift. They were seated in a dark corner away from the other customers, but they had a clear view of the bar, which was currently deserted. Christine thought she'd start by asking her about Amir.

"So how's it going with our favorite pirate?"

Megan smiled weakly. "Okay, I think. I'm really not sure. We have a great time when we're together, but then afterwards…nothing. I know there's something there, but it's like he's holding back, though I can't imagine why. But I'm not going to rush him because I figure he'll come around when he's good and ready, but until then, we'll just have a great time. What about you? Did you go to the Phil to finish your paper?"

"Yes, and I ran into Roan Richards. He's a friend of Rick's, he works in the same department with him."

"I know him through my mom, he's really nice."

"Yeah, he invited me to have lunch with him, which was really sweet, but I had to get home. I stopped by the gift shop to see what's new and I saw the necklace Erik got for me…it was $500."

Megan looked up from her won tons. "You're kidding."

"No, I'm not. It was $500." Christine looked at Megan pointedly. "Now what I'd like to know is, who in their right mind would give someone a $500 necklace on their first date? What do you think was on his mind? It couldn't be for sex because who pays $500 for sex on a date? And besides, he's been a perfect gentleman!"

Megan looked thoughtful. "Well, has he ever mentioned what he wanted out of the relationship?"

"Just that he'd like to get to know me."

"What about his letters, do you remember if he says anything in there?"

Christine dug into her purse and pulled out the three envelopes. "I don't think so, but you tell me."

Megan read each letter in turn, and then stopped when she finished the last one. "He tells you in the last letter."

Christine took it from her and read it over. "It says he wants to meet me, and that I give him hope. When he took me home from the Bal Masque, he said I gave him hope for love. But this doesn't tell me why he'd give me a $500 necklace on our first date!"

Megan looked up at her then and smiled beautifully. "Christine, don't you see? He says it all right here…he's seen everything that the world has to offer, the best and the worst, but it's _you_ who give him hope. You're unique to him in all the world! For some reason, he has this enormous void in his life and _you're_ his hope to fill that void."

Christine looked as though this was too much. "Are you sure about this? Megan, the man is _rich, he's drop dead gorgeous, he's talented, and women are after him!_ Why would he think I'm that special?"

Megan paused to take a sip of water. "It's obvious he's rich and talented, you can't deny that. But who can say what makes one person special to another? _You _think he's gorgeous, but you can't ignore that he wears a mask over half his face. What if he's insecure about his looks and doesn't believe women are really attracted to him?"

"Megan, I've been out with him. Women stare at him, they approach him, and I've heard them talk!"

"But maybe he doesn't see it that way. Maybe he's insecure about the mask. I mean, if he was, you couldn't blame him, could you? And besides, you don't know what's happened in his life. He could've had a hard time before he got to where he is now."

"But…"

"Let's put it to the test." Megan gestured her head discreetly towards the bar. Not thirty feet away, Erik and Amir had just entered Fong's. Christine noticed immediately that they were the two handsomest men there, definitely handsome enough to turn heads, which they did. She thought they looked like models. Eyes of men and women alike followed them as they seated themselves at the bar. They were tall and trim, and were each bundled in a jacket against the November chill. They'd each ordered a shot and sat facing each other on bar stools as they talked quietly. Christine noticed that Erik sat to Amir's right so that his masked side faced the bar. At this angle, his face looked perfect and beautiful, and Christine found that she couldn't take her eyes off of him.

They'd been at the bar less than five minutes when Christine and Megan observed a beautiful blonde approach them, obviously intending to flirt. Christine could feel the anger boiling up from somewhere, and despite what Megan had said not five minutes ago, she obviously felt the same. The blonde was trying to flirt with both men and she placed a manicured hand on Amir's shoulder. Christine looked over, and Megan looked ready to walk over and punch her. The blonde laughed and Amir smiled politely, but Erik merely turned his head toward the bar and sipped his drink. The woman tried to include Erik in the conversation, but he still seemed uninterested. Amir seemed bored by her, so she now turned her full attention to Erik. Christine wanted to see what Erik would do. The woman brought her hand up towards him, but before she could touch him, Erik grabbed her wrist roughly and glared icily at her, frightening her by his swift action. He released her abruptly, and she rubbed her wrist as she stepped back and stared nervously at him before quickly walking away.

Erik and Amir looked at each other as if in understanding, and then Erik threw back his drink and swallowed it in one gulp. Christine thought even this looked sexy because it was Erik. It was obvious he didn't like just anyone near his mask. The bartender approached them and took another drink order. They resumed their quiet conversation, and once they finished their drinks, placed money on the bar and left.

Megan quickly grabbed her purse and placed money on the table. She grabbed Christine's arm and started pulling her out of the booth.

"Megan, wait! What are you doing?"

Megan was hurriedly donning her jacket. "We're going to follow them…hurry up and put on your jacket!"

Christine put on her jacket, but was very hesitant about this. "Megan, don't you think this is a _little _childish? We're adults!"

"Christine, this may be the only chance we get to see what they do! And besides, it'll be fun! Did you have anything better to do on a Wednesday night?"

Christine had to admit she didn't. As they reached the lobby, Erik and Amir were just going out the door. They stepped quietly out to the sidewalk and followed at a discreet distance for a few blocks.

Christine wondered how far they'd have to walk. "Where do you suppose they're going? There's nothing out this way and it's not a good area."

Even Megan had to admit by now that perhaps this wasn't a good idea because all the businesses on this Chinatown side street closed early, but she hated to just give up. "Let's give it five more minutes and then we'll go back."

As they walked quietly along the dark street, they realized they'd lost sight of them. Christine was ready to call it a night. "Where'd they go?"

"Well, they couldn't have gone far, they were just up ahead."

As they walked along, they both heard the sound of footsteps behind them at the same time. They turned around to see who was behind them, but the lack of lighting made it impossible to tell. Christine was becoming nervous. "Megan, I don't like this. What should we do?"

Megan picked up her pace. "Don't panic, try to stay calm. Let's cross the street."

They both started across, but when they heard the footsteps suddenly start to race towards them, Megan yelled, "Run!" They'd only gotten a few yards away when they were both roughly grabbed from behind. They screamed and fought frantically to escape and Christine heard Megan yell, "Get the fuck off me!"

The two men subdued them easily, placing their hands over their mouths to keep them quiet, and then dragged them effortlessly toward a dark side street. "My, my, such language for a lady," came a harsh whisper next to Megan's ear. And suddenly, from the same man came a yelp. _"Ow!_ She bit me!"

Christine heard her captor say, "Wow, I'm glad those weren't _my _fingers."

"Well at least yours are insured!" the other shot back.

"Erik?"

"Amir?"

Christine knew that voice, and Megan knew the other. Erik and Amir carefully released them and started to chuckle.

"What the _HELL_ do you think you're doing!" Megan exploded. "You scared the shit out of us!"

Christine punched Erik in the chest. "You guys are_ crazy!_ You've got a lot of nerve scaring us like that! We just wanted to see where you were going!"

Erik smirked wickedly. "You know, you could've asked us, we would've told you."

"Okay, where _were _you going?" Christine demanded, trying to regain her composure.

Erik looked over at Amir and smiled. "Nowhere. We left our car back at Fong's. We just came out this way because we knew you were following us."

Megan groaned and threw up her hands. "Okay, fine! You both had a good laugh at our expense, thank you very much for almost giving us a heart attack. Could you please walk us back now?"

"Certainly." Erik and Amir were hard put trying not to snicker as they walked back to Fong's.

After Megan returned to her car and drove home and they ensured that Christine was safely back in her apartment, Amir drove Erik back to the Phil.

"That was fun. I believe that got their blood racing, don't you think?" Amir smiled.

"It's nice to know we still have the touch, being able to snatch someone at a moment's notice, although I'm surprised you let yourself get in the way of her teeth," Erik smirked.

"I didn't think she was going to bite me. Besides, I was rather distracted." Amir looked steadily at the road.

"I see." Erik glanced over at him. "Is Ms. Gerard becoming someone of significance I should be aware of?"

Amir didn't answer immediately and seemed to be struggling for an answer. When he finally did answer, it seemed somewhat out of character. "Of course not, well, maybe, I'm not sure yet. I mean…"

Erik snorted.

* * *

It was about ten o'clock when Amir dropped Erik off. As he rode up his private elevator, he smiled to himself as he thought about Christine's frantic attempts to fight him off when she thought they were being assaulted. It was exciting, and the thought of her fighting against him was actually quite a turn on. As he entered his apartment, his thoughts began to stray to what other types of strenuous physical encounters could be had with his angel. He was painfully aware that it had been many years since he'd been with a woman, but until his first real encounter with Christine, he'd kept his passions in check, allowing himself expression and release through his music. But now here she was, she was real, and his heart was telling him that the possibilities were endless. 

Anubis trotted out of the kitchen, the high point of her evening now at hand. Erik opened a can of cat food for her, _Sheba_ of course, and she was satisfied.

He turned on his computer and noticed that Christine was not online. He picked up the phone.

* * *

Christine had gotten undressed and hopped into the shower as soon as she'd gotten back home. She was furious at Erik and Amir for their little trick, but then had to admit that she'd probably have done the same thing in their position. Now she was angry at Megan for even suggesting they follow them it in the first place. She couldn't remember when she'd had so much excitement in one night. 

As she washed her hair, she found herself going over the events and wondering how Erik and Amir had realized they were being followed. She and Megan had been very careful and hadn't done a single thing to give themselves away.

When she stepped out of the shower and was towel drying herself, she recalled that they'd been terrified and fighting for their lives. But the very memory now of how Erik had suddenly grabbed her and so easily carried her into that side street was more than just surprise or fear. It was enough to make her aware of a dampness between her legs that wasn't there before. No matter what the circumstance, she couldn't deny the effect he had on her. She'd never really found herself turned on by anyone before, but with Erik, it was as though she were always in the on position. He made her feel things she didn't know were there to feel. She'd been with Rick and had slept with him for a year and a half, but she never felt then what she felt now, this pull she felt whenever she thought of Erik.

She was sure she'd get a good night's sleep tonight. She put on an oversized tee shirt and turned down her covers and got into bed, and then the phone rang. She reached over and answered it.

"Hello?"

""Hello, my darling. Still up?"

_That voice… _"Erik?"

"Yes, it's me. Are you all right? I wanted to apologize for scaring you tonight. I hope you'll forgive me."

He sounded sowonderful, Christine could have forgiven him anything at this moment. "Yes, I forgive you. I didn't know you had my phone number, you've never called me before."

"I've never needed to call you before. Your computer is off tonight."

"Oh, right. Um, how did you know we were following you?"

"Sound carries very well over deserted streets. It wasn't hard. I hope you don't make it a habit to wander along dark streets, you'll remember no one came out to look when you cried out."

"That was pretty stupid, but we won't be doing that again."

"I'm glad, cheri. It was still wonderful seeing you. You looked beautiful tonight. Girls' night out?"

"Something like that. You looked pretty wonderful yourself."

"Thank you. Do you like boat rides?"

"Boat rides? Yes, I do, but it's been a long time since I've been on a boat."

"How would you like to go on a boat ride this weekend, Sunday?"

"I'd love to!"

"I'll pick you up at noon."

"Where will the boat take us?"

"Hopefully to a deserted island, but not too far. And then we'll have lunch there."

"Sounds like fun! Um…are you busy Saturday evening?"

"No, I'm not."

"Would you like to come over for movie night?"

"Movie night?"

"I'll make dinner and we'll watch a couple of movies. I'll have one and you bring another."

"I'd be delighted. Can I bring anything for dinner?"

"You can bring dessert. It's going to be very casual, so dress for comfort. I'll be making spaghetti."

"I can hardly wait, cheri."

"Me, too. It's going to be fun!"

"I'll look forward to it. Goodnight, Christine."

"Goodnight, Erik."

* * *

Erik smiled as he hung up the phone. He loved being with her. Whether it was in the company of other people or alone, he loved just being in her presence. He felt complete when she was with him, as though he needed nothing else to be happy. 

He decided to take a quick hot shower before going to bed. He left his mask on the night stand and got undressed, hanging his clothes up neatly before heading into the bathroom. He had a spacious shower enclosure with a multi-soap dispenser that dispensed the expensive French soap, shampoo and conditioner he preferred.

After showering, he got out and towel dried himself, looking at his reflection in the mirror. His body was perfect, without an ounce of excess fat anywhere. His stomach was flat and taut, his arms and legs lean and muscled. As he looked at his face, he positioned a hand over the right half, looking critically at the left side. It was perfect, and he imagined that if it matched the right side, he'd be even more attractive than de Chagny. But then he lowered his hand and saw the truth of it. The sunken nose, the rough, uneven ridges around his eye and cheek, the angry red scar tissue from failed surgeries of his youth, the lack of an eyebrow. He sighed, remembering two times before when he'd pursued happiness, only to have it painfully dashed. _I couldn't bear it if it happened again. _

He returned to the bedroom and turned back the covers. As was his custom, he slipped into bed without pajamas, for he slept in the nude. He turned out the light and stared at the ceiling for several minutes, thinking. _Christine is different, she's special, she's an angel. She'll love me for me, and she won't care about my face. _

_Are you so sure? _his conscience seemed to mock. _It was the reason your last two attempts failed. You may fail again for the same reason. What will she do when she finally sees your face? What the others did? Or will she accept you in spite of your face? And how will she react when she finds out you were a killer of many men and women? Will she be so understanding and love you in spite of it all? What do you think?_

After trying futilely to rid himself of his inner voice, Erik finally fell into a restless sleep. His dreams were nightmares for the next several hours as he tossed and turned and cried out in his sleep, but with the dawn of a new day, all of it was forgotten as the sun slowly crept its way past his drapes. As he gradually awoke, he happily remembered his afternoon would be spent with Christine, but he wondered why there seemed to be a shadow, as if a storm threatened.


	16. Movie Night

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 16

Movie Night

_Saturday evening_

Christine was excited. After being wined and dined by Erik and being exposed to wonderful new experiences, she was looking forward to returning the favor by giving him the best she had to give, which for tonight would be the best spaghetti dinner he'd ever have. She spent the entire day cleaning so that everything was spotless, and had even bathed Pinecone so she'd smell fresh and clean. Pinecone had had a fit.

Although it was just a spaghetti dinner, Christine wanted it to be memorable, and so she got out her favorite recipes, which were from Mrs. Valerius. The spaghetti sauce and meatballs were to die for, and the Caesar salad was perfect. The garlic French bread recipe was her own, and she was proud of it.

Christine wanted the evening to be relaxed and comfortable, and so she dressed in a comfortable knit top and white capri pants. She had the TV trays ready in the living room and the movie was already in the DVD player.

As seven o'clock rolled around, she had dinner ready on the kitchen table when she heard a soft knock at the door. She checked the peephole to make sure it was Erik and then unlocked the door.

She smiled widely when she saw him and he grinned in return. He had a pink bakery box and DVD under one arm and a bottle of wine under the other. "Hi!" she said enthusiastically. "Come in and take your shoes off!" He handed her the bakery box and wine and she kissed him as he stepped into her apartment. Christine was excited to have the opportunity to entertain him for a change.

As Christine took the wine and dessert into the kitchen, Erik removed his jacket and shoes and looked around, placing the DVD by the television. He noticed again the photographs on the wall and that the apartment looked very warm and inviting. He commented, "Nice apartment," and Christine smiled proudly.

She saw that he'd come dressed for comfort in a dark knit shirt and pants. His hair hung loosely on either side of his face, and his mask tonight was white. She knew she'd never get tired of looking at him. _He looks dressed up even when he's casual. _

"I brought chocolate chip cheesecake for dessert. I think you'll like it," he said as he joined her in the kitchen. "Is there anything I can do to help you?" He was impressed that she'd already cleaned the kitchen before he'd arrived.

Christine handed him a plate. "Nope, everything's ready, let's dig in."

Erik looked over the spread Christine had laid out and felt a deep warmth surround his heart. He had no memory of ever having had dinner with his family for he had always had to eat alone. He felt a lump in his throat as he saw the love with which she had prepared everything, including placing a small vase of flowers on the table. No one had ever done anything like this for him before. "Christine, everything looks wonderful. Thank you." He couldn't help it as he hugged her then and could feel the tears tickling the backs of his eyes. Christine was happy that he seemed to appreciate her efforts.

They piled their plates with food and Erik opened the bottle of Chianti and poured for them into two wine goblets. "Thank you for bringing the wine, now this is a real Italian dinner," Christine smiled.

They set their plates and wine on the TV trays and were ready for their movie until Christine suddenly had a thought. "I'd better feed Pinecone before we get started. She'll feel left out if she's the only one not eating." As she moved her TV tray aside, she asked, "Erik, how were you able to call me during the Bal Masque when I couldn't find you?"

"It'd be better if I were able to demonstrate for you. I'll wait till you get back."

Christine went into the kitchen and got out a can of cat food. Pinecone was already in the kitchen eagerly awaiting her dinner when she said, "Christine, I'm hungry! Hurry up with my dinner!"

From the kitchen, Erik heard a shriek and something being dropped. Christine hurried out of the kitchen, her eyes wide. "Erik, was that you?"

He chuckled, seeing her surprise. "Of course. You didn't really think Pinecone had started talking, did you?"

Christine giggled and shook her head. "Amazing," she muttered as she went back to the kitchen to feed her cat.

Pinecone was still in the kitchen watching Christine as she prepared her dinner. "I always thought you were beautiful, Christine. You're the most beautiful master on the whole block. All the other cats are jealous."

Christine chuckled as she listened to her cat continue to speak sweet nothings to her. She placed Pinecone's dish on the floor and then went back into the living room.

She gave Erik a kiss as she sat next to him and turned on the TV. "That's a pretty neat trick, mister. What do you do for an encore?"

"That, my dear, will be a surprise," he said with another kiss.

As they watched 'Hitch' they laughed uproariously and talked between mouthfuls of spaghetti. Erik couldn't remember when he'd had such an enjoyable time. The dinner was fabulous for such simple fare and he commented on the fact that this was the best dinner he'd ever had, and he meant it. When they finished, Christine served up a slice of the chocolate chip cheesecake and loved it.

"It's from a little French bakery in old town San Francisco called Le Moo Francaise," Erik explained.

"Really? This is the best cheesecake I've ever had! It's my new favorite." Christine was in heaven. She wiped a bit of cheesecake off the side of her mouth with her finger, but before she could lick it off, was startled when Erik gently took her hand and brought it up to his own mouth. She thought he was just going to eat it off, but instead, he held it before his lips and very slowly started to lick it with the tip of his tongue as his eyes bore deeply into her own. Christine could have died. The tactile sensation of this small gesture had sent her through the roof, and all she could do was stare, for his eyes never left hers. And when he had licked the cheesecake off her finger, he took it between his lips and into his mouth and gently sucked on it before releasing it back to her.

Christine's heart was pounding, and it would have been an injustice to say she was aroused. She couldn't move, but she was aware of Erik's eyes looking deeply into her own as his hand gently caressed the side of her face. "Let me help you with the dishes," he whispered.

"Okay." Christine stood up weakly, surprised by what she was feeling now. They took their plates into the kitchen and started rinsing them off to place in the dishwasher, but Christine's nerves were still tingling. Pinecone sat in the kitchen watching them and said, "You're so hot, Christine, too bad you're not a cat. How about coming over here and scratching me behind the ears?" Christine giggled and looked over at Erik, who uncharacteristically looked the picture of innocence.

With the dishes done, they returned to the living room for the second movie. Christine was curious to see what movie Erik had brought and was pleased to see that it was one of her favorite science fiction classics: Blade Runner. They made themselves comfortable on the couch and started the movie. Since they'd both seen the movie before, they didn't mind talking throughout the film, and Erik was impressed with Christine's opinions on the acting and cinematography. He was pleased to see that her education at the conservatory was not two-dimensional.

Christine laid her head against his shoulder and he offered his lap to her as he crossed his stocking feet atop the coffee table. She readily accepted and found his lap very comfortable. But as she laid her head down, she remembered her father and that she'd often laid her head down on his lap as he read to her. She missed him so much, and especially now when she would've loved to introduce him to Erik. He would've liked him, she thought, because of their shared interest in music, and her mother would have loved him. She smiled at this and wistfully wondered if her parents would have been proud of how far she'd come, that she'd shortly be graduating from the conservatory.

She thought of how glad she was that Erik was with her tonight when she suddenly had a thought. "Erik?"

'Hmm?"

"Have you ever been in my apartment before tonight?"

The question caught him by surprise and he didn't answer immediately.

"Erik?"

"Yes. Once." He felt Christine grow still in his lap, and then he felt her get up.

Christine sat up and faced him. "Why?"

Erik wasn't sure what to say, but he knew he didn't want to start lying to her. "Because…I was curious about you. I wanted to see what your apartment looked like."

"How did you get in?"

Erik was starting to feel very uncomfortable. "I picked your lock."

Christine looked away, as though her thoughts were racing. Erik wondered what must be going through her mind. He saw her glance at the coffee table. "Did you replace the rose in the vase with another one?"

"Yes," he said softly, more certain now that she might not want anything more to do with him.

"Why?"

Erik looked at her, aware of the tension that had replaced all of the good feelings of just moments ago. "I wanted to give you a fresh one, because the other one was starting to wilt."

"And were you in the supply closet?"

"Yes."

Christine thought back to her conversation with Megan. _"…he's seen everything that the world has to offer, the best and the worst, but it's _you_ who give him hope. You're unique to him in all the world! For some reason, he has this enormous void in his life and you're his hope to fill that void."_ Christine closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She bowed her head and slowly nodded.

Erik had been watching her closely, holding his breath for the explosion he was sure to come, but didn't. Instead, he saw Christine lower her head in disappointment, nodding her head in what was surely a realization that she'd made a mistake. His heart was breaking, and his pain had spread from his heart down to his fingertips.

He slowly rose from the couch and made his way to the door. He was about to retrieve his jacket when he heard her say, "Where are you going?"

He turned and saw that she'd stood. "Christine, I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me. I didn't mean to break into your apartment or spy on you. I'm going to go now."

"No, don't go. I think I understand why you did it."

Erik paused. "What do you understand?"

Christine looked up at him. "You did it out of your love for me. I understand."

He couldn't believe this. She didn't want him to go? He didn't know what to do until Christine placed a tentative hand on his chest. He lowered his head as she raised up to meet his lips, and they shared in their kiss a moment in time they both knew was almost lost forever. They held each other tightly. _I could have lost you, Christine, god, I could have lost you…_

Christine reveled in his kiss, she never wanted him to let go. She felt herself coming back slowly from the brink of an immense chasm that had unexpectedly opened up before her, a darkness she hoped never to see again. She wanted to hold on to him forever.

"Erik…can we get back to our movie now?"

He looked down at her and smiled. "Yes, we can go back to our movie now."

They returned to the couch and laid down on it together as Erik placed his arm around her, tucking her in closer. It was surprising how much an emotional upset could take out of a person. There was only another hour left on the movie, but Erik could tell that Christine was getting tired. He held her close, and she settled herself in closer as she held onto his arms. "Christine?"

"Yes?"

"What is your favorite food?"

"I don't have just one favorite, but I guess sushi would be right up there. Erik?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you for telling me the truth."

"You're welcome, cheri."

"Erik?"

"Hm?

"Will you ever break into my apartment again?"

"No, of course not. Not unless it was an emergency and I had to."

"Okay. I hope you enjoyed dinner."

"I did, mon ange, I loved everything about it. Thank you."

They watched the movie, but Erik knew she'd fallen asleep shortly before it ended. _This feels so natural, Christine, like we should always sleep together this way. I should like to wake up each morning of every day with you in my arms…_

He listened to her steady breathing for awhile before he got up from the couch and went into the bedroom to turn on the lamp on her nightstand. He came back to the living room and carried her in his arms to the bedroom. He gently laid her down on her pillow and sat next to her just watching her as she slept. _You are truly an angel, Christine, you are _my_ angel. Sleep now, my love, and dream beautiful dreams of us…_

She was so beautiful and precious to him. As he watched her sleep, he saw the gentle rise and fall of her chest and then realized that her nipples were visible through her thin top and bra, but he didn't look away because he couldn't. He immediately felt a swelling in his lower regions. His eyes involuntarily traveled down to her crotch, and through her knit capris, he could see the slight outline of her panties. _Thongs. _They were white.

He was perspiring slightly, and he noticed that his breathing had quickened. He couldn't consciously deny that he wanted her. He was shocked as he realized he'd involuntarily stretched out his hand, prepared to touch her. He brought his hand to within an inch of her face and traced the outline of it before he finally pulled it away and stood. He glanced around the room and thought how very much it looked like her… classy and feminine, but not frilly. He went over to a chair and unfolded a warm throw and placed it gently over her. He wrote her a quick note and left it for her on the nightstand, looking at her one last time before turning out the light. _She almost makes me forget I have a mask _he thought. He went through her apartment and turned off all the lights before retrieving his jacket and shoes and locking the door behind him.

_

* * *

Sunday morning. _

"So how'd it go with movie night?" Amir asked as he tended the bacon in the skillet.

"Fine, but I thought I was going to be thrown out when she asked me if I'd been in her apartment before." Erik was chopping vegetables.

"You told her?"

"Yes, I didn't want to start lying. But she said she understood." Erik got out another skillet to sauté the vegetables.

"Amazing," Amir muttered, turning the bacon.

Erik nodded. "Yes, she is amazing, and she's never brought up the mask. I don't know how long I can keep this up. I could have taken her last night, but it wasn't the right time. I want it to be perfect."

"The boat's waiting at the dock. What were you going to do about lunch?"

"It's already been arranged. They'll have everything set up by the time we get there. I think she'll be impressed." Erik placed the sautéed veggies in a bowl and poured the eggs in the skillet. After they'd cooked for a few minutes, he poured the veggies on top. "Have you spoken with Megan?"

"Yes. She was still angry for awhile…but I was able to convince her not to be," he smiled.

"Still haven't lost your touch, eh, old man?" Erik smirked.

Amir placed the bacon on paper towels. "We're going horseback riding today, and then have a picnic at the beach. I'm having Gaston's prepare a picnic basket."

"Nice touch." He flipped the omelet and got out two plates. He placed some omelet on both plates as they each got some bacon and some orange juice and took their seats.

"Good omelet." Amir loved breakfast at Erik's. "We've hired a new soprano, by the way."

"Is she replacing anyone?" Erik asked hopefully.

"You wish. No, she's from Vienna, just graduated from the conservatory there. She's very pretty. Joanna Koell."

"Hm, I can't wait for Christine to graduate so she can audition and come on board. They'll be totally blown away by her. If you haven't heard her yet, you're in for a surprise."

"I'll look forward to it. Oh, and I almost forgot, here are the pictures from the Bal Masque. One for each of us."

Amir handed him an envelope that contained the pictures of them in costume – Christine and Megan in the middle, and he and Amir at their sides. He had to admit, it was an attractive picture. If only all of his pictures came out as well.

Amir looked at the picture wistfully. "It was a magical night. You found an angel and I found a woodland princess. I wonder how this tale will end."

"I know how I'd like it to end, mon ami. I end up with Christine and perhaps you end up with Megan. Wouldn't that be the perfect ending? But of course so much more could happen between now and then."

Amir sipped his orange juice, deep in thought. "A happy ending…could there even be such a thing for men like us? For you, perhaps, but for me…the Fates couldn't be that forgiving."

Erik munched on his bacon, holding it up to make a point. "Don't start. You're as deserving of happiness as anyone. You were doing a job, my friend, nothing more. You did what you had to do. And besides, no matter how you did it, none of them were innocent. You'd never do anything like that to Megan."

"No, of course not, but such things change a man. Once you've done them, how can it no longer be a part of you? I'd never do anything to hurt her."

"Then why do you run from it? She seems like a very nice girl."

"She _is_ a nice girl, that's why I run from it."

"Amir, she may be your salvation."

Amir looked at him and got up to wash his breakfast dishes. "Or my damnation."

Erik shook his head. There was no point in talking about this further.

* * *

Erik arrived at Christine's at exactly twelve o'clock and he was pleased to see that she was ready. They hugged and gave each other a warm kiss, and Erik could tell she was excited about their excursion. She was dressed appropriately for a day of sailing in a short-sleeved top, a pullover sweater, windbreaker, jeans, and deck shoes, and her hair was fixed in a French braid. She had on just a touch of makeup, but he thought she looked radiant. She brought a large tote bag with her which no doubt carried supplies and a change of clothes for just in case. He was pleased that she'd come prepared. 

As they walked out to the curb, Christine noticed that Erik had yet another vehicle, this time a spruce green Range Rover. She didn't doubt that it was fully loaded. Erik helped her into the cab, and then he hopped into the driver's seat. Christine thought he looked handsome and rugged and tried not to stare, but knew she probably looked at him more than she should have. It didn't matter whether he was dressed up or down, he looked incredible every time she saw him.

Christine wondered which island they'd be going to. "How long will it take to sail to the island?"

"Not too long, maybe fifteen minutes." Erik couldn't wait to get there. He loved sharing new experiences with Christine just to see the look of surprise and amazement on her face. Through her, it was almost like experiencing it anew.

"Fifteen minutes? How far away is it?" It didn't sound very exciting if they'd be just a few hundred yards from shore.

"It's about twenty-five miles out. They unofficially call it Elysian Fields because it's undeveloped."

Christine wondered if she'd heard right. What kind of boat would take them twenty-five miles in fifteen minutes?

They had just arrived at Fisherman's Wharf and drove over to the marina where the boat was docked. They parked and Erik took her hand as they walked to the dock. Christine carried her tote bag and Erik had his pack slung over his shoulder. As they made their way down the ramp to the boat slips, Christine thought, _In fifteen minutes we'll be at this island. Fifteen minutes, right…I'm finding this hard to believe again…_

When Erik stopped suddenly, Christine almost ran into him. "Here we are! It's a Silver Alouette. Beautiful, isn't it? It can go a hundred miles an hour."

Christine looked at the boat in the slip and her mouth opened, and stayed open. It was white and silver and the most futuristic looking boat she'd ever seen. It was a cigarette racing boat.


	17. Elysian Fields

Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 17

Elysian Fields

It was the sleekest thing she'd ever seen. It looked to be about thirty feet long and eight feet across. There was a small area towards the rear for them to steer and sit, but Christine was becoming very nervous just thinking of riding any boat capable of traveling at a hundred miles an hour.

Erik smiled broadly as he led her towards the crew compartment and helped her step carefully onto the deck. It was a beautiful day and sailing conditions were perfect. He stowed their gear in the onboard storage lockers and showed her where he wanted her to stand once he started the engine. After a few last minute checks to ensure everything was in order, he turned the key and the engine roared to life. Christine had seen pictures and movies of boat controls, but they were never anything this. She stood to Erik's right as he slowly eased the boat from its slip. It was gliding slowly as it moved through the marina and Erik surprised Christine by placing her hands on the steering wheel to give her the experience of being at the controls of a racing boat. She enjoyed this immensely and gently guided them out of the marina toward open waters.

Once they'd cleared the jetties, Erik instructed her to sit in the built-in seating and helped her fasten her seatbelt snugly. Once he was sure she was safely secured, he faced forward and revved the engine to pick up speed. In a few seconds, they were traveling very rapidly, but as in a convertible, the air was deflected upward by a wind shield and Christine found that she hardly felt any wind at all. Erik was rapidly increasing speed as they moved farther out and Christine couldn't believe how fast they were traveling. She was very grateful for the seatbelt because she could just imagine herself flying off the deck at these speeds. She could tell that the forward section of boat was above the waterline now and that the rear was the only part still in contact with it because she felt herself leaning back at an upward angle. She watched Erik at the controls and thought he looked very commanding. She realized that he was always in control, and whatever the situation, she always felt safe with him and knew that he would always protect her.

After several minutes, she saw an island dead ahead. It wasn't a large island, but it was heavily wooded and there didn't seem to be anything on it. Christine wondered what sort of lunch they'd have on this obviously undeveloped island when it became obvious that Erik was not heading directly toward it but was actually going around to the far side. He steered the boat expertly around to the other side where Christine saw that unlike the 'front,' the back of the island had a gorgeous inlet and a beautiful white sand beach with a small docking platform.

As Erik decreased speed and entered the inlet, he could see that Christine was excited as she quickly unfastened her seatbelt and joined him near the control panel. He pulled up to the docking platform, and Christine saw that the waters here were calm and a beautiful clear blue. She could even see various types of fish and coral beneath the water. This side of the island was a hidden paradise, and she understood now why it was called Elysian Fields. After Erik secured the boat, he retrieved their packs. They stepped onto the platform and made their way to the white sand beach.

The view from this side of the island was breathtaking, and Erik was delighted as Christine ran a little ways up the shore to throw her arms out and turn around in circles. "Oh, Erik, I love it! Our own little island!" She ran back to him and grabbed his hands as she turned him in a wide arc with her.

Erik chuckled at her exuberance and then grabbed her in a hug and kissed her. "I'm glad you like it, cherie. I have a very special lunch prepared for us."

As they walked toward the trees, they came upon a clearing with an elegant tent. The sides of the tent were protected by see-through netting, but the inside was draped with beautifully colored gauze fabric. The floor was covered with a large sturdy carpet, and in the middle was a square, low-set, beautifully carved wooden table with plush, colorful pillows around it.

As they walked up to the tent, Christine couldn't contain her awe. "Oh, Erik, it's so beautiful! What's under the cover?" She pointed to a light fabric that covered the tabletop.

"Well, I don't know," he said in mock confusion. "Let's have a look."

The fabric was weighted so it wouldn't blow away, and as Erik lifted it off to reveal what was underneath, Christine brought her hands to her mouth to stifle a gasp. On the table were two magnificent place settings already prepared. Their plates were large and golden and held lobster, sushi, and a number of side dishes. In the middle of the table was an incredible arrangement of exotic flowers. There were place cards behind each place setting, one that said _Erik_ and the other that said _Christine_, each written in beautiful red script, which Christine recognized as Erik's elegant hand.

Erik had expected Christine to exclaim in surprise or pleasure, but he wasn't prepared for the sob that escaped her lips or the tears that followed. She covered her mouth with her hands, trying to stifle her sobs, but it wasn't helping. Erik turned to her and held her in his arms, trying to comfort her. "Christine, what's wrong? Don't you like it?"

At this, she cried even harder. She tried to talk, but was having difficulty, so Erik held her until she calmed down enough to speak. "No one…no one's ever done so much for me. I'll never be able to do enough to ever thank you."

Erik gently smoothed her hair. "Please don't cry, Christine. I do these things because you mean the world to me, and there is nothing more important to me than your happiness. You're worth all this to me and more. Do you understand?"

Christine nodded as she buried her face in his embrace and tried to smile as she wiped away her tears.

They took off their windbreakers and sweaters since it was warm enough, and Erik noticed with satisfaction that she wore his necklace. He led her to the table and smiled as he invited her to sit next to him on the pillows. Before starting to eat, they each dipped their fingers in the finger bowls that were on the table and dried their hands on the soft terry towels that lay next to the bowls.

"Let's see what we have here," Erik smiled in anticipation. In addition to the lobster and sushi on their plates, there was also salad, miso soup, and assorted vegetables. Christine was impressed with the presentation of the lobster which was whole on her plate, including the antennas. Erik explained that unbroken antenna on lobsters were considered good luck.

Christine noticed immediately that the soup was still hot and the sushi was cold. "How were you able to do this?" she asked, very impressed.

"With a very efficient staff," he smiled. He picked up an attractive piece of sushi and held it up for her to take a bite. "Have a spider roll, it's soft-shelled crab. One of my favorites."

Christine took a bite and closed her eyes and smiled as she savored the flavor. She couldn't help it, she felt like she'd died and gone to heaven. But this was even better because Erik was with her, and she knew this sushi undoubtedly came from the best sushi chef in town. After she'd savored the morsel, she fed him a piece in return.

When she picked up another piece of sushi for herself, Christine noticed that Erik had gotten something out of his pocket. As she was about to take a bite, she saw a flash and realized that Erik had snapped her picture!

"What do you think you're doing!" Christine couldn't believe he took a picture of her eating!

"I want to always remember this day," he smiled. "Say cheese!"

Christine laughed and she was sure he'd snapped it when her mouth had been open the widest. "That's not fair! I want to take pictures, too!"

As a compromise, Erik set the camera on the edge of the table so that it would take a picture of them together every five minutes. This way, they would be snapped doing something natural rather than posing unnaturally. At least that was the plan, but some of the pictures caught them in the process of trying to be natural and instead caught them posing anyway.

Erik was loving this lunch with Christine because he'd never before shared in the ritual of feeding another, and he found that he loved it. It was a rather intimate thing to feed someone a morsel that they took into their body, but even more so when you had feelings for that person. With chopsticks, they had lobster dipped in garlic butter, soup, salad, and vegetables. They had a wonderful time, and when they were done, they were comfortably sated. They dipped their fingers in their finger bowls again and dried their hands.

Erik suggested they go for a walk along the shore to walk off their meal, so he retrieved the camera and they set off. Occasionally he would take out his camera and take a picture of Christine when she wasn't looking.

When they'd walked to one end of the island, Erik called Christine over. "Look, there's a hammock…shall we?"

It was a hammock strung tightly between two trees and stabilized not to tip. Christine had always wanted lie in a hammock. Erik climbed in first and Christine climbed in beside him and Erik placed his arm under her head so she'd be comfortable. They were in the shade of the trees and the ocean breeze felt wonderful. Everything was so peaceful, and occasionally they'd hear the sound of seagulls in flight or the waves farther out in the ocean. The sky was a brilliant blue, and the clouds were making their slow sojourn across the sky.

Christine couldn't remember when she'd ever had a day like this. Everything was perfect, and Erik was perfect. "I wish it could always be like this," she murmured.

"Like what?" Erik gazed steadily up at the clouds.

"Like this…perfect." Erik turned to look at her, and Christine turned to him as well. He gently brushed the strands of hair back from the side of her face and leaned over to kiss her. It was a gentle kiss, one that told her that he was glad they could be together.

As he lowered his hand, his thumb accidentally brushed the tip of her nipple. Their eyes met due to this inadvertent touching, and for a brief moment, an awkwardness hung in the air. Slowly, he brought his hand back to her breast and very gently stroked the same nipple, which had involuntarily begun to harden through her top and bra. He came closer, and as she closed her eyes, his lips slowly came down upon hers, his tongue caressing hers sensuously. She could feel him stroking her nipple and his hand take her breast through her clothes. He reached under her shirt and felt along her stomach and torso. And when he reached her bra, he moved it aside until his hand was on her breast and he felt it for the first time. _God, she feels wonderful._ He took it whole in his hand and squeezed it, and as his fingers grazed its peak, he felt every detail of it so he could commit it to memory. He held it and squeezed it as he explored her mouth deeply, and he noticed that Christine had started to moan softly and to writhe under his touch. He was halfway on top of her and his swollen member was pressed against her. _No _he thought suddenly. _This isn't how I wanted this to be. I want this to be right...it's still too soon._

He stopped immediately. He replaced her bra and brought his hand out from under her shirt and got off the hammock. He walked several steps toward the beach because he needed to regain control of himself. The ocean breeze felt good, and he could hear the sound of the distant waves. He brought his hands up and ran them through his hair as he closed his eyes and turned his face up toward the clouds.

"Erik…what's wrong?" Christine had walked up to him and was a few feet behind him now.

Erik brought his hands down over his face and rubbed his eyes as though trying to erase a memory. He didn't turn around. "I'm sorry, Christine. I didn't want it to be like this…I wanted everything to be perfect."

He felt Christine directly behind him now and she wrapped her arms around him from behind, squeezing him slightly. "I know you did. But everything _is _perfect, and _you're _perfect. Thank you for this day, Erik."

He could hear the sincerity in her voice and was glad that she was happy. He turned around and held her tightly. There was so much he wanted to do for her, and he could imagine doing so for the rest of his life.

They walked hand in hand along the beach back toward the tent. As they walked, Christine had started picking up shells that she'd seen along the shoreline. "I've never seen so many unbroken shells. Even the sand dollars aren't broken."

"No one ever comes to this island, so it's undisturbed. They want to keep it like this so it can be a natural reserve." Erik got his camera out and took more pictures of Christine as she gathered the seashells.

By the time they got back to the tent, Christine was surprised to see that the food and dishes had mysteriously disappeared. All that remained were the beautiful tropical flowers and the pillows around the table. When Christine looked over at Erik, he just smiled and said, "A _very_ efficient staff."

Before they left the island, Christine wanted to do one more thing. "Erik, I want to remember this day, too. May I take some pictures of you?"

He was surprised. In his entire life, no one had ever wanted to take a picture of him for themselves. He was deeply moved and affected by this more than he would have imagined. "Of course, mon cherie," he said as he handed her the camera.

They sat on the pillows, and at Christine's urging, he smiled, said cheese, looked into the camera, and looked serious before they finally rose to walk back to the boat.

It was about 4:30 when they returned to the marina at Fisherman's Wharf, and as Erik drove Christine home, he thought back on their afternoon together. It had been years since he'd touched a woman, and he'd almost forgotten how incredible they felt. He remembered the feel of Christine's breast. It was the perfect size, not too large and not too small, and her nipple was a small, firm nub that was extremely sensitive judging by her reaction. He found himself wondering what she would look like naked, and again started to feel that now familiar tightening in his crotch.

Christine thought the day couldn't have been more wonderful. She loved the boat ride, and going at 100 miles an hour was something she'd never forget. The lunch was perfect, and she was glad now that Erik had brought his camera. She thought about their time in the hammock and what she had felt when he'd touched her. She could feel a tingling between her legs as she remembered how he'd fondled her breast. It was almost too much. She wondered why he had stopped when he did. She would have allowed him to go further, had wanted him to, and he'd seemed ready. But he said he wanted it to be perfect…

Erik pulled up in front of Madame Wu's and they made their way up to Christine's apartment. She let them in and Pinecone came out to investigate. Christine picked her up and rubbed her behind the ears. Erik came up and also began to scratch her, and her loud purr told them that she was content.

Erik took off his jacket and sat on the couch as Christine joined him with Pinecone. "Would you like to eat in or out tonight?" he asked.

"Actually, I think I'd like to stay in tonight. We've been out all day." Christine was a little tired after their full afternoon, and she looked forward to spending an evening with Erik.

"Let's call out for pizza," he suggested. He rarely ate pizza although he liked it, but he didn't mind indulging himself tonight.

Christine smiled and agreed. As he called for pizza, she excused herself to take a quick shower. Erik removed his shoes and put on some soft music as he perused the titles on her bookshelf. He found a book that he thought was interesting and brought it back to the couch with him as he stretched out on it lengthwise. This was how Christine found him when she returned from the shower. Apparently he was as tired as she was for the book now rested on his chest and he was asleep. Christine was dressed in a soft gray long-sleeved top and dark pants in stocking feet, but not wanting to disturb him, went into her bedroom and laid down to take a short nap. She was asleep in no time.

Erik was awakened by a knock at the door. When he looked around, he realized he was in Christine's apartment and wondered where she was. When he opened the door, a pizza delivery man handed him two boxes and he paid and tipped him generously. He placed the pizzas on the kitchen table and went to Christine's bedroom. He found her on top of her bed sound asleep and he grinned when he saw her. She looked so peaceful, like an angel. He sat next to her for awhile and just watched. His heart was so full of love, he couldn't imagine ever loving anyone more. He gently swept a lock of hair from the side of her face and laid his hand on her arm to gently awaken her. "Christine, wake up, cherie. Dinner's here."

She slowly opened her eyes, and when she saw Erik looking down lovingly at her, she smiled beautifully. "Hi," she sighed. "I was having such a wonderful dream. You were in it."

"I was?" he smiled back.

"Yes, everybody was in it. You rescued me, and we were going to live happily ever after."

"I like your dreams," he whispered. He could feel tears start to tickle the back of his eyes. Would that he could have such happy dreams, ones where he lived happily ever after with his angel. _Why is it that only you can bring these feelings out in me? If only you knew that you are my life, Christine…_

They walked into the kitchen and served up the pizza. He'd ordered a deluxe pizza and her favorite: pineapple and Canadian bacon with jalapenos.

Christine put on some music, and as they ate in the living room on the coffee table, they talked about the coming week: his work, her classes and work schedule, upcoming events, and the Christmas gala. Christine had been to previous Christmas galas with Rick and knew them to be lavish formal affairs. It was a very important function for community and business people and many of the biggest plans and largest deals in the city were made there. She knew Erik would be there as part of the Phil, but he didn't know yet that she would be performing a solo during the gala as part of a showcase for the talent from the conservatory. Rehearsals would be starting in December.

Erik explained some of his duties at the Phil and she was amazed to learn of some of the sounds tracks he'd composed. She'd never paid attention to the credits at the end of movies before, but now she definitely would. She loved how they were able to talk about things having to do with the arts. They both had an appreciation for classical music and opera, and even with contemporary books and movies, seemed to have the same taste.

"Will you be busy next Saturday night?" Erik asked.

"I don't think so." She was hardly ever busy on the weekends since her break-up with Rick.

"Would you like to come over for dinner and movie night at my place?" He looked at her expectantly.

Christine smiled. "I'd love to! Can I bring anything for dinner, or another movie?"

"No, just bring yourself," he smiled. "And dress comfortably. I'll pick you up at seven."

Christine smiled, but her mind was racing. As a good guest, she couldn't possibly come empty handed. She began going through a list of things she could possibly bring.

After dinner they went and laid down on her bed to watch television. Christine selected a movie from her collection, The Shining, and again they critically commented on the acting and cinematography. Erik enjoyed this intellectual exchange with Christine because he found her opinions well thought out and thought-provoking. Besides Christine, there was only Amir whom he enjoyed spending leisure time with.

"Do you think ghosts and hauntings are possible?" Christine asked, referring to the movie.

"I believe all things are possible to an open mind," Erik answered seriously.

She liked that answer and nodded, "I'd have to agree."

Erik got up from the bed. "I almost forgot." He went over to his pack and retrieved an envelope and gave it to her.

"The picture from the Bal Masque! We looked great!" Christine looked at it closely and thought Erik was the most handsome man there that night. Actually, she'd never seen anyone more handsome in her life. She smiled and remembered how he had called to her and when she had first seen him. It was the most romantic night of her life, and she knew she'd never forget it for as long as she lived. She reached for Erik's hand and leaned over to kiss him. She was so happy, and she felt complete with him. Tomorrow she'd go and find an appropriate frame for it and put it in a place of honor: her bedroom nightstand. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, cherie." Erik was feeling very comfortable as he sat next to her, his arm around her. He felt like they were truly a couple. He wondered if they should get together with Amir and Megan sometime for a double date…as long as they didn't go fishing.

When the movie ended, Christine got up and automatically placed another movie in the DVD player. This time it was The Ring. She loved how easily she and Erik were able to talk. Whenever they were together, it never mattered what was on the TV because they were able to entertain themselves with just their conversation. Whatever movie happened to be playing would just become background noise or another point in their conversation. And because Erik's knowledge was so extensive and his conversation so interesting, she was never bored. She loved that he was so funny many times without even realizing it, because this made it even funnier to Christine. She remembered back to the conversation she overheard between the two women at Mocha Bee's. They'd seen him angry before, but even then they thought he was sexy. She thought that was amazing, and it made him just that much more attractive to her.

Erik had noticed for the past few movies that Christine still jumped during scary scenes even when she'd seen a movie before. He filed this away in his memory for future reference. When she comes over for movie night next Saturday, he'd have to make sure to have a very scary movie so he could be sure to comfort her during the scary scenes. He rather liked being her protector from the monsters.


	18. My Place

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editors Musicallover and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 18

My Place

_Monday_

Erik walked quietly as he strode to Amir's office on the fifth floor. His quiet steps more often than not surprised employees by catching them in embarrassing positions, and it was for this reason that they hardly ever went any further than the fourth floor. He rarely went into other areas of the Phil except for rehearsals, but on this morning he really didn't mind because he was still on a high from his wonderful weekend with Christine. Amir had wanted him to meet their new soprano because they would be rehearsing a new production to premier in January and they needed to be familiar with each cast member.

As he approached the office, he heard voices coming from inside. He knocked before entering, and as he walked into the large office, he saw Amir seated behind his spacious desk and a beautiful young woman seated before him. They both stood as he entered.

"Good morning, Erik, come in and have a seat," he smiled. "I'd like you to meet Joanna Koell, our new soprano. Joanna, this is our resident composer, Erik Dupont."

She had a beautifully radiant smile and extended her hand gracefully in greeting. "Mr. Dupont, I'm so pleased to meet you. I'm very honored to be working with you."

He smiled and shook her hand firmly. She was very beautiful, and he noticed immediately that she didn't react to his mask. "My pleasure, Ms. Koell, and welcome to the Phil. Please, call me Erik. Has Amir gone over the rehearsal schedule with you?"

"Yes, I'm very much looking forward to getting started," she beamed.

"Good. I'll be dropping in to see the rehearsals from time to time to make sure everything is running smoothly. If you have any questions that Dr. Khan cannot answer about the production, feel free to ask me. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?"

Joanna smiled and seemed at ease. "Well, I was born in Vienna and just graduated from the Vienna Conservatory. My family lives in Vienna, but I wanted to come to the United States, and I especially wanted to see California. My goal is to become a great opera singer."

"Everything you've learned will come into play here at the Phil, but you should get to know the other sopranos so they can help you learn the nuances of performing here. You'll be introduced to the cast and crew this morning and Amir will give you the grand tour. I don't want to hold you up because rehearsals will be starting at nine, so if you'll excuse me, I'll get back to the studio. It was very nice to meet you, Ms. Koell. I'll see you later, Amir."

Erik smiled and shook her hand again before he left the office and headed back to his apartment. _Joanna Koell. I hope she's as talented as she is beautiful. I'll just be happy if she doesn't turn out to be a nightmare like Victoria._

Amir was impressed that Erik had stayed almost an entire five minutes this time, but he understood why he usually shunned meeting people unless it was unavoidable. He had about forty-five minutes to show Joanna around, so Amir started by introducing her to the staff and the various departments he felt she'd need to know while completing her one-year contract. He walked with her through the corridors and introduced her to the costuming and make-up departments and to anyone else he thought she might need to know. She was very pleasant and cordial, and everyone seemed quite taken with her. Although actors normally socialized with actors, dancers with dancers, and support staff with support staff, Amir imagined that Joanna would try to socialize with everyone.

By the time they finished, it was close to nine o'clock and rehearsals were about to begin. Amir wondered how she would get along with Victoria Rinaldi as well as what Victoria's reaction would be to rehearsing with her since she fancied herself the prima donna of the Phil.

As everyone took their places, Amir took his place in the pit and rehearsals began.

_

* * *

Tuesday _

Today was the third anniversary of her parents' death, and as Christine drove out to the cemetery, she thought back to the last year she'd spent with them. She remembered how they'd all celebrated when she received her scholarship to the conservatory. Her dad had taken them to a French restaurant and she'd tried escargot for the first time. She remembered their last Christmas together, their last birthday, their last everything. She had a bouquet of tulips beside her. It had been their favorite flower, and her mother had always planted them in the garden when it was the right season. Ever so often something would catch her attention to remind her so vividly of them…a song, a movie, a phrase. She missed them so much.

As she pulled up into the cemetery, she was glad it wasn't raining. She didn't come to visit as often as she used to and she felt a little guilty about it. She used to enjoy coming here and walking amongst the headstones on a clear day. It was never crowded, and it was always so peaceful. When Megan found out just how much time she was spending there, she'd done her best to get Christine interested in other activities, but it was Rick who had led her back to the land of the living. He came into her life right when she needed him, and he'd always been there for her. She thought of him warmly as she remembered how he'd helped her that difficult first year.

She parked her car on the curb nearest her parents' grave and got out. She loved how they took such meticulous care tending the cemetery. A number of gravestones had flowers before them, and she always enjoyed reading the inscriptions on the markers. She thought it amazing that there were many that had been there since the 1800's. She had to walk a little ways to get to her parents' headstone, but as she approached it, she noticed there was someone already there.

"Rick?"

He turned around and looked surprised when he saw her. "Hello, Christine."

"Rick, what are you doing here?" She noticed that he still looked as handsome as the day she first saw him.

He seemed somber. "The de Chagny crypt is here. I was visiting it and walking around when I saw your parents' gravestone. How've you been, Christine?"

"I've been fine, hanging in there. And you?"

"As well as can be expected," he said softly. "Are you still seeing Erik Dupont?"

"Yes, we're dating."

Rick nodded. "I hope everything's working out for you. But if you ever need anything, even if it's just to talk, I'll always be here for you."

Christine walked up and embraced him in a warm hug. "I know you will. Thank you," she said sincerely.

"I'd better get going. Phillip's going to wonder what's happened to me." As he pulled away, he lowered his head to give Christine a kiss. She accepted his kiss because she knew he would always be close to her, but rather than the brief kiss she was expecting, she was surprised when he lingered, and she had to pull away first. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too." And she watched him as he walked away to another part of the cemetery.

Christine turned her attention back to her parents' headstone and gently laid the tulips before it. As she looked at their names and their dates of birth and death, she thought they were too young to die when they did. They should have lived at least another thirty or forty years. She knelt down and touched the gravestone, tracing their names.

"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry I haven't been by to visit as often, but I miss you so much. I wish you could see how well I've been doing in school. I think you'd be proud of me. My singing has really improved, and I'll be graduating soon. I want to audition at the Phil, and if I get accepted, then I'll be performing there just like you always wanted me to. Wouldn't that be great? I wish you could see me on stage there. Megan and I are still close and she's always there to help me. We want to audition together at the Phil. Rick and I aren't together anymore, but I've met someone. I really wish you could meet him. He's a composer at the Phil, and I know you'd really like him. His name is Erik Dupont. He's the most incredible person I've ever met, and he's so kind. You know, I'd like to think you're both up there watching me and making sure I'm all right. I know we'll be together again someday, but until then, I want you to know that I love you, and I miss you." Her voice broke towards the end, and with that, she kissed her fingers and then placed them on the headstone.

She stood up, and with one last look, walked back to her car and drove away.

Erik leaned back against the wall of a nearby crypt and closed his eyes. He'd heard everything. She'd come here on the anniversary of her parents' death for the last two years, so he was fairly certain she'd come today at the same time, and she had. He didn't expect to see the de Chagny boy to already be there, but at least it gave him a chance to see what was on the boy's mind. He'd felt a flash of anger when he saw the boy kiss her, and then attempt to linger. _He still loves her, but it won't do him any good at this point._ He conceded that de Chagny was a good man, but where his Christine was concerned, he wouldn't allow anyone to stand in his way. He walked slowly back to his car which he'd left parked under the trees.

_

* * *

Wednesday _

Rehearsals were progressing smoothly and there had fortunately been no surprises. Amir and Erik were satisfied with the progress of the new soprano, and although Victoria Rinaldi had thrown her weight around as usual, there were no major problems or upsets. Erik had stopped in to watch the rehearsals on two occasions and Joanna had waved shyly at him. During a break, she came over to say hello.

"Hello, Erik, good to see you again! I hope you're pleased with how the rehearsals have been coming along."

Erik was rather surprised that she'd approached him because it was rare when anyone did. The cast and crew usually went to Amir with any concerns, and then Amir would tell Erik about anything he needed to be aware of.

"Everything seems to be fine so far, Ms. Koell. You seem to be doing very well."

"Please, call me Joanna, everyone else does," she smiled warmly. "Yes, I'm really enjoying my first part, and I'm getting to know everyone little by little. I've had a chance to explore the city a little bit, and I love it! If you ever have an opportunity, perhaps you could show me around the city a little more."

Erik was taken aback by her boldness, but it was hard not to notice her sincerity.

"Perhaps," was all he could say.

"Well, I'd better get back, break time is almost over. Give me a call sometime and maybe we can do this on a weekend!" And then she ran back to the stage with the others.

Erik felt somewhat confused by the invitation for he'd never received one like it before, but he had to admit it pleased him.

_

* * *

Thursday _

Erik was moving the last of the furniture over to one side of the studio when Amir came in. He walked over to Erik and retrieved a small wooden box. "Ready for darts, Romeo? I'm feeling lucky today."

"How was your week, old man? Did Victoria give her a hard time?"

Amir opened the box and got out a number of small metal stakes and star-shaped weapons. "She's a strange one." The metal stakes were black, weighted, and very sharp. The stars had four tips, were weighted, and were as sharp as razors.

"What happened?" Erik went over to check the target area. There were a great many targets placed from floor to ceiling, and the back wall was constructed of dense wood to accommodate their exercises.

"Nothing. Everything went smoothly, but it's just the first week. Maybe she doesn't feel threatened by her yet. Who knows?" Amir slipped the darts and ninja stars into a special belt which he now put on. "Joanna seems very nice, gets along with everyone. It'd be nice if she stayed around for a few seasons. She's quite beautiful."

Erik sighed. "I noticed. But I'll be glad when Christine graduates and we can sign her up. Thanks again for the boat, old man, she was impressed." Erik donned his own belt which was already fitted with his weapons.

Amir grinned. "I knew she would be. How was the lunch?" They walked over to the other side of the room opposite the targets.

"It was perfect, everything was perfect."

Amir nodded. "So what's next, Don Juan?"

"Dinner and movie night at my place."

"So, will you show her romance this time?" he asked, amused.

Erik tried to suppress a smile and changed the subject. "How was horseback riding with Megan?"

Amir grinned. "It was excellent."

Erik chuckled. "I see. And I suppose you've already showed her romance then?"

Amir smiled and looked up knowingly. "You know, Erik, you might learn a few things from me. Like, the early bird catches the worm; nothing ventured, nothing gained; make hay while the sun shines…"

"You're mad."

"Perhaps, but you'll notice that I'm smiling," he grinned.

Erik snorted and shook his head. "Loser pays for dinner."

So for the next hour they practiced their throwing of darts, stars, daggers, and knives as well as spears, javelins, ropes and lassos. Not only did their exercises keep them fit since leaving Persia, but you never knew when such abilities could come in handy.

_

* * *

Friday night _

"So you're going over for movie night at his place tomorrow?" Megan grinned widely as she unwrapped her taco. "I see…."

"What do you see?" Pinecone sauntered into the kitchen as Christine prepared her bowl.

"Oh, nothing." Megan turned her attention back to her food, feigning disinterest. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, well, if you say it's nothing, then I guess it's nothing," Christine smiled as she unwrapped her taco salad. " Most of my papers are done and I think I'm finally ready for my finals. How about you?"

Megan frowned. "Very funny. Come on, you can't tell me you're not excited!"

Christine giggled at Megan's needling. "Well of course I'm excited, what do you think!"

"Are you still taking those birth control pills?"

Christine sighed. "Yes, mom, nothing's changed."

"Then you're always ready! It almost makes me wish _my _periods were irregular," she grinned.

Christine looked at her wryly.

"What?" Megan asked innocently. "Do you think you're ready for this?"

"Ready for what?" Christine took a bite of her salad.

"You know!" Megan looked at her, exasperated.

"Know what?" She smiled innocently and skewered a tomato.

"Christine Karlsson, I'm going to kill you if I have to drag this out of you! Are you ready to _sleep_ with him!"

"Megan, how can you even ask such a thing!" Christine already knew that Megan would get around to this sooner or later, but she'd never been one to talk openly about her sex life.

Megan grinned wickedly. "I'll tell you if you tell me."

Christine had to admit that she'd been curious about how Megan and Amir were getting along, but just figured she'd wait for Megan to tell her since she always did. But since she asked… "Okay, you first."

Megan looked like the cat who'd caught the canary. She took a sip of her glacier water before starting. "Well, we went horseback riding last week at the park and had a picnic there. It was so beautiful and romantic! We read to each other on the grass…and then he showed me a secret place.

"A secret place?"

"Yes." Megan looked off into the distance, remembering. "It was in the park. There were a lot of hedges along a rise at the edge of the park, and Amir showed me this one spot where there was a small clearing in the hedges. There was just enough room in there for the both of us, and you could see out, but no one could see in."

"You're kidding…. You mean, right out in the open, in a public park, you…"

"No, it _wasn't _like it was right out in the open! No one could see us, but we could see them, and no one came too close. It was great! It was just…wonderful!" Megan looked radiant.

Christine had to smile. It _did _sound awfully romantic, and exciting. She wondered what her evening with Erik would be like and if he were as adventurous.

"So, my dear, are you ready for this?" Megan asked, looking very much like the catbird.

Christine thought about it, but truth be known, she wasn't sure how she felt about it because they'd never really been intimate before other than their brief few minutes in the hammock on the island last week. But the more she thought about it, the more nervous she felt.

_

* * *

Saturday _

It was early evening and Christine was looking forward to seeing Erik again. They usually touched base every evening by IM, but this week had been very busy for both of them . He hadn't mentioned what he'd be having for dinner, so she decided to bring him a box of her favorite tea and some fresh strawberries. She took a shower and washed her hair, using her favorite body spray and wearing her hair down with a few colorful clips to hold back the sides. Erik had said to dress comfortably, so she selected a soft pair of knit capris, her favorite short, button-down sweater which was casual, yet dressy enough for a special evening at home, and a pair of comfortable slip-on sandals.

When he arrived at seven o'clock, Christine quickly glanced in the mirror to make sure she looked all right and then opened the door. As always, he looked _wonderful. _He was dressed casually in a black button-down dress shirt, black pants, and his signature white mask. She smiled widely at him as he stepped forward and gave her a hug and affectionate kiss. "Are you ready?"

"All ready!" she smiled. She gathered her coat and her large tote bag, which carried the tea and strawberries, and locked the door behind them.

As they drove toward the Phil, Christine noticed that she could see the stars through the clouds. She felt her excitement growing for this would be the first time she'd see where he lived. She remembered her conversation last night with Megan and tried to put it out of her mind.

Erik was excited as well. He was pleased with the way things were progressing, and now she would see his home. He hoped this evening would be perfect.

When they arrived at the Phil, Erik parked in his personal space and helped Christine from the car. They walked over to the elevator, and as Erik pressed a button to summon it, Christine noticed that it wasn't just a button but a touchpad. She wondered about this until Erik turned to her and explained, "Fingerprint." _Of course, otherwise anybody could get in this way. _

They stepped into the elevator, and as they ascended, Christine noticed that there was only one up and one down button. When they reached their destination, it opened onto a spacious foyer that was at the end of a beautiful ultra-modern living room. "Welcome to my place, cherie."

As Christine stepped out of the elevator, she gasped. She'd never really given much thought to Erik's living quarters or how he lived, but never in her wildest dreams did she ever think it would be anything like _this._ The room was dimly lit with wall sconces and lamps, and she could see that it was huge, ultra-modern, and had wooden floors and walls throughout. One entire wall of the living room was floor-to-ceiling glass from which she could see the city lights to the blackness beyond, which she knew was the Pacific Ocean. It was very comfortably furnished with overstuffed sofas and chairs, coffee tables with candles and statuary in the center, and a large fireplace which already had an inviting fire burning within. Beyond was another room that looked like it might be a studio, and yet others that were probably living quarters.

"Would you like a tour, my dear?" Erik smiled as he led the way. He'd spent the entire day cleaning and preparing for their special evening. He wanted this to be a night of nights and one that Christine would remember favorably.

She was in awe of everything and just knew that this was the sort of place one would see in Architectural Digest or Town and Country. Everything was beautiful and masculine, yet stylish. She couldn't believe that Erik actually lived amidst such luxury.

"Oh, Erik! Everything is so beautiful…who was your decorator?"

Erik looked over and smiled. "Thank you. I designed and decorated it myself. I'm glad you like it."

"Amazing." As they walked along, she noticed a number of beautifully framed paintings that seemed to be originals, yet she'd never seen reproductions of them as you did most paintings. When she stepped up to one to get a closer look, she saw the artist's name in the lower right hand corner: E. Dupont. "Erik, did you paint this?" Christine couldn't believe it.

"I did that many years ago. Same with the others. I don't have time to paint much any more." Erik continued to lead her through the apartment as Christine tried to take it all in.

From the living room, he took her through his studio next. In the middle of the room was a beautiful black grand piano. There was also a recording booth and other equipment, an enormous collection of CDs in beautiful built-in shelves, and volumes of musical scores. Christine had never been in a professional studio before and was impressed by the tools of his trade. She hoped Erik would play one of his pieces for her tonight.

As they walked through the large room, Christine spotted something under a cabinet and bent to pick it up. It was dark and almost invisible, and she wondered if it might have been a piece of jewelry. "Oh, how pretty…"

"Christine, _NO!" _Erik had just turned around when he saw Christine bend to pick up one of their practice stars.

_"Ouch!" _Christine had picked up the object but had dropped it almost immediately, and Erik could already see the blood on her fingers from where it had cut her. He went over to her immediately and wrapped her fingers in a handkerchief he produced from his pocket.

When she'd dropped the ninja star, it had fallen to the wood floor and impaled itself upright on its tip. Erik picked it up and threw it aside, embedding it into the wall out of the way where he could retrieve it later.

"Christine, are you all right? I'm very sorry, let's get this cleaned up." He led her to the bathroom where he disinfected the cut and bandaged it. It had fortunately been a shallow cut, but he knew that it could have been much worse if Christine had picked it up clumsily. He and Amir had known that one of the stars was missing but had been unable to find it. What were the chances that Christine would find it on her very first visit?

"I'm all right, Erik. I'm just sorry to cause you all this trouble. What was that thing? I just wanted to see it." Christine seemed a little confused by what had just happened. She hadn't realized she'd picked up a deadly weapon capable of killing.

Erik was angry, not at Christine, but at this reminder from his past that had now reached out and hurt someone so close to his heart. It seemed that everything from his past resulted in pain and death, he thought ruefully.

When he finished bandaging her fingers, she assured him that she was all right and that she wanted to finish touring his beautiful home, and so he walked with her down the hallway to the other rooms. On their way, Christine noticed a bank of framed photographs that lined the wall at eye level. They were the pictures from the island; he'd had them blown up and framed. As she walked down the row admiring them, Erik walked with her, smiling. Ever so often she'd stop and closely look at one and smile or laugh, until she got to one in particular. It was one of them when they were in the hammock, and it was beautiful. Her head was resting on his arm and their heads were close together. It was such an intimate, yet innocent scene, and she couldn't stop staring at it, remembering the exact moment. She noticed she had a lump in her throat as she stared at it. Erik was looking at her and he knew what she was feeling because he'd had the same reaction when he'd first seen it. It was his favorite one. He was glad he'd had the foresight to set up the camera, and he'd made a second set of prints for her.

He then took her through the kitchen, dining room, and finally, his bedroom, which she thought was the most impressive of all. His bedroom was dimly lit by a fire in a small fireplace opposite the bed, but he turned up the lights so she could see the room clearly. His bed was a huge four-poster which was attractively hung with rich, dark fabric along its frame, and everything was very tastefully done in shades of black, ivory, and burgundy. She walked into the room and looked around admiringly.

"Oh my god!" Christine had walked into the room and had turned around to exit when she caught sight of another painting that hung to the right on the wall just inside the door. It was _her_, beautiful and in costume from one of her performances. Her hair was a cascade of brown curls around her shoulders and she looked incredibly beautiful. It almost looked like a photograph. She brought her hands to her mouth as she stared at it, her eyes glistening. _This is how he sees me?_ "It's beautiful," she whispered. "When did you paint this?"

Erik looked at it lovingly as he ran his hand along the frame. "This is my masterpiece. I did it about a year ago."

"Oh, Erik…." Christine was speechless and overwhelmed that he would do this. She imagined the time and effort required to produce such a work, not to mention the love and devotion that was so evident in each brushstroke. Erik held her and gently kissed her as he stroked her hair. He was pleased she liked it.

He led her back to the kitchen so they could prepare their plates. Everything was ready and just needed to be served. Christine got out the tea and strawberries from her tote bag and prepared the strawberries in a bowl as Erik prepared their plates. In addition to a small Caesar salad to start, the main course was New Zealand lamb chops in a delectable sauce, wild rice, seasoned asparagus, au gratin potatoes, and grilled herb tomatoes. Christine could feel her mouth watering as they brought their plates to the table. Erik opened a bottle of wine after they'd been seated and elegantly poured into two elegant wine glasses.

"This is a Mouton-Rothschild Bordeaux, 2003. I hope you like it," he smiled.

Christine smiled back. She was very impressed. Even a home-cooked meal with Erik was a special occasion.

As they began to eat, she was impressed with everything. She never would have thought anyone could cook like this at home. Everything was wonderful. When Erik picked up his wine glass, he smiled and raised it slightly to her and said, "To you, my darling, and to us." He gently touched his glass to hers and they took a sip.

Christine usually preferred very sweet wine, but this wine was excellent, and she told him so. "This is wonderful!"

"I'm glad you like it. I've been saving it for a special occasion, and I'm glad you could enjoy it with me."

Christine loved what Erik had done with the lamb and enjoyed it immensely. He'd been watching her eat and smiled when he saw her enjoying it. Christine had been watching Erik as well and was actually impressed with his table etiquette to the point of occasionally staring. His elegance and grace while dining brought to mind images of royalty and official state dinners.

When they'd finished, she offered to help him gather the dishes and rinse them to put in the dishwasher, and Erik accepted graciously. As they cleared the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher, Christine was amazed by the extremely modern appliances which had features she was unfamiliar with.

Once they finished, they retired to another part of the living room to see their movie. Erik invited her to make herself comfortable on a large, overstuffed couch which had a large matching ottoman to stretch her legs out on while he prepared the movie. When he joined her on the couch, he started the movie with the remote. Christine had never seen a 62" screen before and was impressed that what she'd thought was a large painting was actually a television. She wondered if they'd be watching another romantic comedy tonight.

Erik turned to her. "Have you ever seen 'Alien'?"

"No! Is that what we're watching tonight?" Christine couldn't believe he'd gotten a science fiction thriller! "I've always wanted to see that one!" This was going to be a great evening!

Erik grinned and they held hands as the movie started. He knew she liked scary science fiction, and although they'd started out sitting side by side, it wasn't long before Christine had climbed onto his lap so she could bury her face in his chest during the scary scenes, and there were many. She was sure the suspense would kill her before it was over. Erik on the other hand knew he had picked the perfect movie because Christine was now exactly where he wanted her to be. By the time the movie was over, Christine felt drained by so much anxiety and suspense. She loved it.

Erik suggested they move to sit before the fireplace and have an after-movie cocktail. Christine settled herself on the couch and stared into the fire as Erik went to the kitchen. She noticed after awhile that there was soft music playing. She thought Erik's home was fabulous and felt privileged to be here with him. Erik returned shortly with a tray with two small wine glasses that contained a pale liquid that almost seemed to shimmer.

"This is a sauterne, Chateau d'Yquem. I hope you like it, my dear." Christine took the small wine glass and they touched glasses lightly as Erik said, "To us," and she took a sip.

It was deliciously sweet, and as she swallowed, she was strongly reminded of liquid gold as it went down her throat. It was wonderful. "Mmm…I love it.," she smiled.

"I'm glad, cherie," he smiled, and he leaned over to kiss her gently.

They sat close together sipping their sauterne as they looked into the fire. Christine knew she'd never had an evening like this…a wonderful dinner, a movie, and now sitting before a fire, all in luxurious surroundings. She could definitely get used to this.

"How do you feel, cherie?" Erik had been observing her, wondering what was on her mind. She'd enjoyed the movie, and now seemed very relaxed.

"I feel wonderful," she smiled. "This has been the most wonderful evening. Thank you." She snuggled up closer and rested her head against him as he placed an arm around her shoulders and gently stroked her hair. Christine noticed the subtle fragrance of his cologne and remembered how much she loved it.

Erik was happy and at peace. He loved this feeling and was aware that it was the first time in many years he'd felt this way. He wished it could always be so, and he wondered if Christine could ever wish for it as well.

Christine finished her wine and placed it on the coffee table. She stood and walked up to the fire and spread her palms toward the warmth.

"Are you cold, my dear?" Erik got up and stood next to her.

"No, not cold, I'm just enjoying the fire. I've never had a fireplace and I just love them."

Erik smiled at this, she was so precious. He stepped closer and brought his hand up to her hair. He kissed her softly and then more firmly, and she kissed him back. They held each other before the fire, enjoying the moment. At this moment in time, everything was perfect.

Christine stepped away slightly and murmured, "I think I'd like to go freshen up."

Erik motioned toward the back rooms. "Of course, you may go through there."

As Christine walked out of the room towards the bathroom, Erik wondered about where this was going. What did he want out of this, or more to the point, what did Christine want? He'd known long ago that he wanted her, but could Christine actually come to love him? He placed his hands on the mantle and gazed into the fire as he pondered this.

Christine was continually amazed by what she found in Erik's home. She hadn't had time to really notice while Erik had been bandaging her hand, but the bathroom was nothing short of grand. The bathtub was huge, as was the shower, and she was fascinated by the bidet. Not only did it squirt water in different configurations, but it could also warm the seat and blow warm air. _Talk about high tech. _Even his towels were beautiful. _Egyptian cotton, monogrammed with ED. I'm not surprised. _

She'd only known him for a few weeks, but it seemed they'd already done so much together, and he'd expanded her horizons by exposing her to so many new experiences. Erik was impressive to be sure, and there was still so much she didn't know about him, but what she did know of him she liked very much. In fact, so far, she liked everything about him. _He treats me with respect, we have a lot in common, we have fun together, and I love being with him._

She stepped out of the bathroom and turned off the light. She walked over to his bedroom which was still lit by the fire from the fireplace and saw a tall bookcase near the bed. Out of curiosity, she approached it to see what it contained. She saw a number of books on architecture, music and science and this pleased her for some reason. She also saw some framed photographs and smiled as she recognized Erik and Amir from past Bal Masques. _They both look so handsome _she thought. And then she saw the framed photograph of the four of them at the last Bal Masque. As she approached the end of a row of books, she saw something familiar. They were the erotic figurines, each in the midst of making passionate love.

She stared at them and remembered the first time Erik had asked her to show them to him and how embarrassed she'd been. A beautiful Persian music box sat next to the figurines. Its lid was beautifully inlaid with cloisonné in the shape of a bronze-colored palm that seemed to glow in the firelight. She reached out and was about to open it when a hand suddenly grasped her wrist. She gasped. She hadn't heard him come into the room.

"I'm sure you've heard that curiosity killed the cat," he said softly.

She didn't move.

She felt him rest his cheek against her and felt his warm breath close to her ear. He murmured softly, _" Vous êtes beau par la lumière du feu, Christine, et je vois la lueur vacillante de la convoitise dans vos yeux. Il est temps où je vous ai montré la nature vraie de mon désir pour vous." (You are beautiful by firelight, Christine, and I see the glimmer of lust in your eyes. It is time I showed you the true nature of my desire for you.)_


	19. A Night of Nights

Chapter 19

A Night of Nights

The bedroom was dark, the only light emanating from the small fireplace opposite the bed. Erik startled her when he grabbed her wrist as she was about to open the music box, and he'd whispered to her softly, his voice husky. He'd spoken in French, but his meaning clear.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and nuzzled her, and Christine closed her eyes. He trailed smoldering kisses down the side of her face and neck, and she burned from his touch.

He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned into him, and when he placed a kiss near her ear, she turned around and he kissed her deeply, his hands moving under her sweater. He didn't hesitate when he unhooked her bra, and Christine was a little surprised when she felt his hands feel over her back as he held her close to him. She'd thought there would be more of an interlude before he began to undress her, but she wouldn't stop him for she was aroused by his unhurried confidence.

Christine started to unbutton his shirt, but Erik couldn't wait and ripped it open, the buttons falling and scattering on the carpet. His shirt lay open as he kissed her again, and when she tried to step back, Christine was stopped by the bed behind her. Erik lifted her up as though she were weightless and placed her on the bed before stepping back. She could see him illuminated by the light of the fire in the fireplace and saw him pull off his shirt and drop it on the floor. He watched her as he unbuckled his belt and removed his pants and briefs, and when he was naked, Christine saw that his body was perfect and that he was erect. He was magnificent.

He came to her on the bed and kissed her, his hands going under her top to take it off so he could cup her breasts. He kissed her neck and shoulders, and then claimed her nipples, first one and then the other, sucking them and feeling her as he'd only dreamt for the last four years.

He trailed kisses down her body and she giggled when he dipped his tongue in her navel, teasing her. He hooked his fingers into the waistband of her pants and pulled them off. Her legs were so smooth and beautiful, and he saw that her panties were white bikinis. He pulled them down and dropped them over the side of the bed before bringing his hand up between her legs, and he was surprised to find her shaved, her skin as smooth as a baby's bottom! This pleased and excited him, and he ran his fingers along her pink flesh before slipping his middle digit into her well. Christine gasped when she felt it go into her. It felt wonderful and she felt him feeling her internally before beginning to move it in and out.

Erik lowered himself in the bed until he was between her legs, and Christine gasped and arched sharply when she felt his tongue begin to tease her sensitive nub. He thrust his tongue in and around her, sucking, licking, feeling. _"Mon Dieu, Christine, tu goûte si sucré!" (My god, Christine, you taste so sweet!)_

He was so involved that she was certain he didn't realize he'd spoken French, but as he licked and caressed the epicenter of her passion, she couldn't stop the moans that escaped her lips nor the movement of her hips. He was loving her, and she felt every incredible stroke and caress of his tongue, his lips, and his hands. He rubbed and squeezed her nipples while feasting upon her most cherished entrance, the combined sensation making her writhe and strain against him.

When he came up, he ran the back of his hand across his mouth before he kissed her, and she tasted herself on his lips. He placed himself at her entrance and his voice was a husky whisper when he said, _"Laisse moi te regarder pendant que jet e baise, mon amour." (Let me look at you as I fuck you, my love.)_

She felt his cock rub against her, and then he plunged into her and she cried, _"Oh God!"_

It was a shock when his cock breached her threshold for he was larger than Rick had been and she felt pain at being stretched so suddenly, and she grimaced initially when he filled her. Christine breathed heavily as he pumped into her and she held him tightly, her legs wrapped around him, and she loved the feel of him inside of her. She vaguely wondered then how many women he'd slept with before her.

And then, she began to feel it. It was a delicious tingling of nerve endings that centered in her clit and was building quickly throughout her body until it was unstoppable. Her breathing quickened and Erik's thrusts became faster, rougher. Christine began to pant and then shuddered as she cried out. Erik pounded into her and she exploded violently in her orgasm. She bucked and moaned in the sweetest agony of several seconds that seemed an eternity.

When her climax had run its course, Erik rolled off of her onto his back and closed his eyes. There was a sheen of perspiration on his body and his hair was damp.

Christine breathed deeply and her eyes were closed. It was the most incredible sex she'd ever had.

They laid atop the bed side by side and Erik placed an arm over his head. He reached over and took her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. He felt her squeeze gently and he said, "I love you, Christine."

It was the most natural thing he'd ever said. She heard him, and her heart filled with a warmth she'd never known before.

"I love you, too. You're the love of my life." Christine knew this was true. She would never love another like this again.

Erik felt his heart swell with love and he could feel his eyes watering behind his closed eyelids. She loved him…she loved him! He gazed over at her. "There is no life for me without you, my love." He kissed her, and a tear ran down his cheek.

Christine lay next to him with her arm across his chest. Yes, she loved him more than life, and she knew it more than anything she'd ever known in her life. "I love you," she said again. She moved her hand lower, trailing it past his stomach until she reached down and took hold of him. His breath hitched when he felt her hand come around him. It felt wonderful to be held by her like this and he began to swell again. He felt her tighten her grip slightly before she began to move down in the bed.

"Where are you going, cherie?"

"Not far, my love."

He moaned when he felt the most exquisite sensation. Christine had positioned herself between his legs and had begun to wet the tip of his shaft with her tongue.

_"Mon Dieu, qu'est-ce que tu me fais?" (My god, what are you doing to me?)_

Christine glanced up and smiled at his reaction. His eyes were tightly closed, enjoying a sensation too sweet to bear. She wrapped her lips around his hardened cock while she firmly but gently squeezed his testicles. She sucked as her head moved up and down his length, and she saw that he was in a state of extreme bliss. His breathing quickened and his hips had started moving with her.

_"Christine, si tu continue de faire ça je vais exploser!" (Christine, if you keep this up, I'm going to explode!) _

She knew he was close, and kept on sucking and stroking him until he cried, _"Je viens!" (I'm coming!)_

He stiffened as his hips convulsed, and he moaned and writhed in intense pleasure. Christine felt his cum shoot into her mouth, and she sucked and swallowed the warm liquid as he filled her, making sure she drank every bit of it, and she found that she actually liked the way he tasted. _I love you, and I'm taking you into me, my love._

When his movements slowed, Christine raised her head, smiling when she saw him spent. She licked him clean before she pulled herself up and lay in his arms as his breathing returned to normal.

"God, that was incredible." Erik turned to her and kissed her. "I love you."

She stroked his face and felt his mask on his right side. "Erik?"

"Hmm?" He felt so relaxed and serene…

"How many women have you invited up to your apartment?" Christine knew there had been others.

"How many women?" He wondered if he'd heard right.

"Yes, how many do you think you've had up here over the years?"

He wondered what she was getting at. "Oh, I don't know. A few dozen."

Christine remained silent for a moment. "Were you ever serious about any of them?" She ran her fingers along his chest hairs.

_She thinks I've had a number of girlfriends._ He decided to play along. "No, none of them."

"Why not?" She wondered if he had a problem with commitment, or perhaps he was just a playboy.

"Because they were more interested in what I had and who I was than in me." There, that sounded reasonable.

"But how did you know that?" _How does he know whether or not I'm a gold-digger, too?_

"I knew," he said mysteriously. "Are you disappointed that I wasn't serious with any of them?"

"No, not really. I would've expected you to have had many women in your past. Actually, I think it's surprising that you're still single."

Erik didn't say anything, unsure of what to say. _She thinks women find me desirable. If only she knew the truth._ "Have you had many boyfriends?" he asked finally.

Christine sighed. "No, not really, not before Rick. He was my first real boyfriend. You work with him, Rick de Monet."

"Actually, he's in another department. I never see him." Now he'd be able to ask her what he'd been wanting to know for months. "Why did you break up with him?"

Christine thought about it. "He wanted to get married and I didn't."

Erik had wondered about this. "Why not?"

"I just never felt that way about him."

Erik knew of Rick's reputation with women for he'd heard enough gossip from his secret locations within the Phil. So why would Christine not want to marry this well-bred pup? "Do you have something against good-looking millionaires?" he asked as he stroked her hair.

Christine snorted. "Hardly. No, he was wonderful. Any woman he marries will be very lucky. But…"

"But?" Erik wanted to know the real reason.

"There was no passion. If you're going to be with someone for the rest of your life, there has to be passion, and it just wasn't there."

_So that's it. The boy is as dull as I'd always thought. A pretty package, but no passion. Pity,_ he grinned inwardly.

"May I tell you a secret?"

"A secret?"

"I've never had any other women up here before. You're the first."

She sat up and looked at him, confused. "I'm the first?"

"The first and only."

Christine couldn't believe it. "Are you sure? Why am I the first?"

Erik was amused. "Yes, I'm quite sure. I would have known if anyone else had been here. And you're the first because you're the only one I've been in love with in over ten years."

Christine looked like she was struggling to understand this. "That's kind of hard to believe."

"And why is that, cherie?"

"Because of who you are! You're handsome, you have everything, and you're so wonderful. You should either be married with kids and living in a mansion up on a hill somewhere, or you should at least have a dozen girlfriends waiting for you to call them!"

Erik had to smile at this. _She thinks I'm handsome?_ "That was never me. I've been alone most of my life, until you came into it." He noticed that Christine had become silent. "What are you thinking, love?"

"I just feel like…you're a gift."

He shook his head. "Christine, you have no idea, but you are a gift to me." He turned back the covers. "Here, let's get in bed."

Christine crawled into bed next to him until her back nestled to his front and he had his arms around her. It was only around midnight, but Christine was tired. After several minutes, when she'd stilled and her breathing had deepened, Erik knew she'd fallen asleep. He wasn't sleepy and it was actually still early for him, so he arose from bed and walked over to the bookcase. He picked up the small digital camera he kept there and walked back to the bed. He looked down at Christine and thought she looked beautiful. She was on her back and her hair was spread around her, her hand next to her face…like a sleeping angel. He took aim and snapped the picture. The flash went off, but Christine was dead to the world. He smiled. He knew just where he'd put the photograph once he'd enlarged and framed it. He returned the camera to the bookcase and went to the bathroom to shower.

As he bathed, he thought about their making love for the first time, and he smiled. It'd been more incredible than he imagined it could be. She'd felt wonderful, and she'd responded to him with such abandon! He would never forget how it felt to lay atop her fully naked for the first time. It was incredible, and he'd felt whole for the first time in his life. And when he'd penetrated her, it was the most glorious sensation! And then he remembered her taking him into her mouth. He'd been so shocked when he'd first felt her lips around him. It was like velvet, or silk, or like air. He never thought he would experience love in this way unless he paid for it, but that was something he'd never wanted to do. If he couldn't have it through love, he didn't want to experience it with someone whose only interest was in his money. But now he did experience it with Christine, and it had been _wonderful!_

He then remembered her reaction when he'd tasted her for the first time. He'd placed himself between her legs and touched her wetness with his lips and tongue, felt inside of her and tasted of her body, and she was so uniquely sweet and unlike anything he'd ever tasted or felt. The thought of having tasted the juices from within her own body was incredibly arousing. Even now he felt his cock swelling at the memory and with the knowledge that Christine was even now in his bed, naked, with his cum still wet on the insides of her thighs. The thought was tremendously arousing, and he couldn't control himself as he took hold of his shaft and stroked himself until he was again shuddering and shooting the semen out of himself as he breathed heavily and leaned against the wall of the shower. He was in love, and all he wanted to do now was to make love to Christine again and again and again…


	20. Occam's Razor

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editors Penmora Zenith and Terpsichore314.

Chapter 20

Occam's Razor

Christine felt very comfortable as she gradually awoke. It was the best sleep of her life and this bed was the most comfortable she'd ever slept in. The sheets were the most luxurious she'd ever felt, as were the blankets and quilt, and she'd loved the drapes above the four-poster. She'd had a wonderful dream that even now was fading from memory, but the good feelings from it remained. Christine was still lying on her side, and she liked that Erik's arm was still around her waist. But as she moved slightly, she noticed something else. Erik was joined to her. _He's in me! Has he been there all night? _She closed her eyes and smiled, imagining what it'd be like to wake up every morning like this.

Erik stirred, and she placed a hand on his arm so he'd know she was already awake. "Good morning," she murmured softly.

"Good morning, darling," he said sleepily. "Another night like that and I'll live forever."

Christine grinned. "Did we fall asleep like this?" she asked.

"No, I came in later. I couldn't resist you," he smiled.

She smiled and reached back with her hand to touch him, but she accidentally hit the edge of his mask and could tell that it'd become dislodged from his face. She could feel him trying to replace it. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

"It wasn't your fault, love, I know it was an accident," he said calmly.

"Why do you wear it?" she asked innocently.

Erik froze, and then went on automatic pilot. "Because I want to live the fantasy, my love."

"What fantasy is that?"

"Why, the fantasy of being with you here on top of the world, of course. Last night was the best night of my life."

Christine smiled. "Well, you're _my _fantasy and I want to enjoy my fantasy even more without the mask. Can I tell you a secret?" Christine asked hopefully.

"You're not wearing a mask, are you?"

"No!" she giggled. "I just wanted to tell you that you're the handsomest man I've ever met," she said sincerely.

Erik felt his heart swell with love. He'd never heard such words in his life. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, not trusting himself to speak yet.

"No matter what's under the mask, my love, I'll always think you're the handsomest man in the world."

_She doesn't know what she's saying _he thought. _Christine, Christine, I'd do anything in the world to keep you, even if it means keeping my face from you forever. Continue to love me and think me handsome, mon amour, for never will you see anything else. _Erik held her and gently stroked her hair. "I love you, Christine," he whispered. "Please try to understand. Come, let's take a shower."

And so they showered together, and Christine thought it was the largest shower enclosure she'd ever seen. It was even larger than the one in Rick's apartment, and she'd thought that one was large. They enjoyed lathering and scrubbing each other's backs, and soon were kissing and making love under the hot water. Erik had taken her from behind as she steadied herself on the built-in shower seat, and he fingered her with one hand and fondled her breast with the other as he thrust repeatedly within her. She cried out as she orgasmed powerfully under the hot water, and then Erik began pumping into her harder until he too cried out and convulsed forcefully into her until he was thoroughly sated. As they rinsed off again before stepping out of the shower, Christine kneeled before him as the water beat against his back, and she sucked on his cock and his scrotum for several glorious minutes before she finally stood up and decided they were done.

When they got out of the shower, they donned robes and went into the kitchen to make breakfast, which was bacon, scrambled eggs with green onions, French toast, and orange juice. And after breakfast, they decided to spend a day at home, naked.

* * *

It was the most wonderful week Erik could remember. He saw Christine every day either at his apartment or hers, and they also IM'd or called each other on the phone. They would still do their movie nights, but when it was at Christine's, she'd pull out all the stops to ensure each time was special. Erik noticed the special things she would do for him on these nights, like place flowers on the table or a decorative dish of his favorite candy in the living room in addition to making gourmet meals for him, which pleased him tremendously. Even Pinecone had become accustomed to his frequent visits for she had no compunction now about hopping onto his lap during a movie to have her ears or stomach scratched. Erik was happiest on evenings such as these when they would just spend a relaxing evening together after a full day of work or school. 

When dinner was at Erik's, he would either prepare a French dinner or they would go out. Christine loved to do both for Erik was an excellent cook, and she loved the relaxed and romantic ambiance of his penthouse. But even if they went out, she loved it because it was always such a treat to be seen with him in public. She'd noticed from time to time that people would occasionally stare at his mask, but due to his very elegant and refined manner, would usually defer to him as if he were a celebrity or VIP. During these times, Christine would often find herself feeling a warm pride for being on the arm of such a man. As always, Erik would show her the utmost care and regard whether they were at a restaurant or a museum, and the envious or even occasionally hostile glances of other women were not lost on Christine. She felt herself incredibly lucky and blessed.

Each day was bright and beautiful because Erik knew he was in love. The music he composed reflected this clearly, and even Amir had raised an eyebrow when he'd heard the new pieces.

"We should try to bottle this new drug you're on. I haven't heard you compose like this in years. Any one of these will get you an Oscar," he said, studying the scores.

Erik smiled. "I haven't felt like this in years. She brings out things in me that I didn't know were there. I think I'll take her out this weekend."

"Where to?"

"Paladin's. I haven't been there in awhile, I think she'd enjoy it. Want to come along?"

"I'll let you know. I'll see if Megan's got anything planned."

"Are you ready for the Christmas Gala?" Erik normally didn't attend these functions, but this year would be different. Since he'd be with Christine, he was actually looking forward to showing her off.

Amir peeked into Erik's refrigerator. "Almost. Christine's going to be singing, and you will, too, in addition to playing a part from your Overture. Do you know yet what you'll sing?"

"Not yet, but I should know in a couple weeks. Hungry?"

"No. I'm thinking about getting a pet."

"Really? What kind?"

"A ferret."

"Why a ferret?"

"They're kind of cute, they can be house broken, and it's not your run-of-the-mill pet. And Megan likes them."

Erik looked up. "I see," he smirked.

Amir cleared his throat. "I'd better get back to the office. I'll talk to you later."

Erik spent the rest of the day composing. Feeling exceptionally inspired, he wanted to take advantage of this creative streak while it lasted. By the time it became dark, he was ready to stop and call it a day. He knew Christine was working at the store tonight and decided to surprise her by dropping by.

He drove out to Chinatown around eight o'clock and parked his Range Rover across from the store. He was about to get out and walk across the street when he noticed Christine through the store window talking to someone he thought he recognized. It was Roan Richards. He knew the boy was a friend of Rick de Chagny's and decided to wait a few minutes for him to leave, until it became clear that the boy had no intention of leaving soon. Erik decided to wait and see what transpired.

Christine was behind the counter unwrapping new merchandise and she and Roan seemed to be sharing a laugh at the moment. He was leaning up against the counter looking at some of the items.

"So how's Rick been lately?" she asked as she dusted off a tea cup. "I haven't seen him around."

"The same, you know how he is, he's very dedicated. When he's not at home, he's probably at the Phil working on some project. We're getting ready for the Christmas Gala now."

"The Phil always looks so beautiful at Christmastime. You guys do a wonderful job decorating the place."

"Actually, the design firm we hire does a wonderful job. It's a great opportunity for them to show off, and it always results in them getting more design jobs as a result. It's a win-win for everyone."

"So who chose the design firm for the Bal Masque?"

"Our department head hired the firm, but it was Rick's suggestion. His family's dealt with them before and gave them a good recommendation. It really helps to know people. Rick mentioned that you and he are no longer dating. Are you seeing Erik Dupont now?"

"Yes, I am." She wondered if he'd ask about the mask.

"I've worked at the Phil for five years and I think the Bal Masque is only the second time I've ever seen him, and I've never seen him at the Christmas Gala. He's a lot younger than I thought he'd be. He's a brilliant composer."

"Yes, he is. Are you dating anyone now?" Christine asked, hoping to change the subject.

"No, no one special anyways. It seems that all the women we know are the ones we grew up with through school. But they just hired a new soprano at the Phil and she's from Vienna, so that's someone new."

Christine looked at her watch. "It's almost eight-thirty, I'd better start getting ready to close up."

"Well, I'd better get going then, but if you're ever near the Phil, come on up and say hello," he smiled. "Maybe we can go to lunch over at Gaston's. I really enjoyed our conversation."

"I did, too, and thanks for coming by. See you," she smiled.

Erik saw Roan leave the store and drive away. He walked into the store, causing the door chimes to ring, and he saw Christine turn around and smile broadly when she saw him.

"Hi, this is a nice surprise!" she beamed. She walked up to him and hugged him tightly as she gave him a kiss. "What brings you out here on a Wednesday night?"

Erik smiled, glad to see her. "That's a rather strange question. I'm out here to see you, of course."

"Really! Well, I must say I'm flattered," she said playfully. "I'm about to close up, and then we can go upstairs."

"I thought I saw Roan Richards drive away just now," he ventured.

"Yeah, he just came in to chat apparently, because he didn't buy anything. He works with Rick." Christine turned off the lights and locked the front door to the store as they walked up to her apartment.

"Do you think he's handsome?" Erik asked conversationally.

Christine took out her keys and looked at him, somewhat surprised. "Erik Dupont, are you jealous?" she smiled.

"Can you just answer the question, please?" he asked grumpily.

Christine let them into the apartment and turned on the lights as Erik went over to sit on the couch. Pinecone came out of the bedroom and Christine opened up a can of cat food and spooned it into a bowl for her. "As a matter of fact, yes, I do think he's very handsome. He's eye candy, just like Rick. Are you happy now?" Christine went over to the couch and sat next to him.

"No," Erik said, miffed, although he wasn't sure what kind of truthful answer he would have wanted from her.

Christine leaned in close to him. "Well," she murmured softly, "you want to know what I think?"

Erik sat stone-faced, looking at her, waiting.

"I still don't think they're as handsome as you are, and most important of all, they're not you_. You're _the one I'm in love with, not them. Now, is that better, Mr. Grumpy Pants?" she whispered as she touched the side of his face with the tip of her tongue.

Erik looked at her and began to smile. _God how he loved her! _He grabbed her and pulled her across his lap as she squeaked, and he gave her a deep lingering kiss before planting baby kisses all over her face and neck, which caused a fit of giggles. "Mr. Grumpy Pants, is it?" he scoffed. "I'll show you Mr. Grumpy Pants!" He pinned her down on the couch as he continued to place kisses down her neck and playfully grabbed at her breasts, which caused her to giggle even louder.

When they finally settled down, they were both out of breath, but happy. "I love you," Christine murmured happily.

"I know," Erik grinned.

"What! What do you mean you know!" Christine sprang up and started to plant her own kisses all over his face and neck, and the most sensitive spot of all: his ears.

"Argh! Wait, not the ears!" Erik struggled to get away from her lips as she continued kissing him over both sides of his face.

"Erik…." she whined as she slowed down her attack.

"What?"

"Your mask is in the way. I want to kiss you all over without the mask. What do you think?" She wondered what his reaction would be to this frontal attack.

"Christine…" Erik really didn't want to get into this tonight.

"Erik, please. I love _you. _It doesn't matter what's under the mask. I'm not going _anywhere!"_

Erik got off the couch and stood, his back to her. "You don't know that," he mumbled.

"What did you say, love, I didn't hear you."

"Christine, can't you just accept me the way you met me?"

"Erik, I do accept you the way I met you. I accept all of you, but I don't think you really believe that. _I love you._ What do you think that means? That I just love you if you look a certain way? What if you were caught in a fire and were horribly burned? Do you think I'd stop loving you? I couldn't stop loving you any more than I could stop breathing!"

Erik turned around to face her. "I love you, Christine. Let's talk later, okay? Don't worry. Goodnight, my love." And he kissed her gently before he walked out the door.

Christine slowly locked the door behind him. She felt like she wanted to cry, but couldn't. _What am I doing wrong? I think I'm saying all the right things. What else can I say? What more can I do? Would it be so wrong if I just chose to ignore it like he wants? Yes, it would be wrong because it'd be like I was denying it was there. So what can I do? I wonder what Megan would say about this?_

Erik drove home sullenly. It had started out to be a good evening, but she had to bring up the mask again. It would never end until she saw his face. _She says she thinks I'm more handsome than Rick or Roan, but that's only because she's never seen the real me, the monster. Then what would she think? Would she feel cheated when she realizes she could've been with a truly handsome man? _

His mind started to wander, and he remembered a time about twelve years ago with another love…

_"Erik, honey, we've been together for six months! We've slept together and seen each other front and back, top to bottom, so what's to hide? I love you and I hadn't planned on going anywhere anytime soon. Have you?" Sarah asked impatiently._

_"No, love, I hadn't planned on going anywhere, but it's just not necessary for you to see it. I've already told you that I was born with a facial deformity. Why can't that be enough?"_

_Sarah rested her head in the crook of his neck as she laid her leg across his. "Because I love you, sweetheart. No matter what, I'll always love you. I just don't believe you believe that I will." _

_This had been an on-going point of contention between them for months, and it didn't seem it would ever end. It had become obvious by then that they could not move forward until this was resolved, one way or another. By then, there had really been no other choice. _

_Erik sighed. "All right, my love. I'll remove the mask." _

_As they both sat up in the bed, he slowly lifted the mask off his face and lowered it. He kept his eyes on Sarah to catch any reaction she might have to his face before she tried to hide it. She looked at him steadily with no reaction. She didn't flinch, cry, or try to back away. But neither did she try to touch him or offer any words of comfort. _

_Finally, she just said, "I'm so sorry." They turned off the lights and laid back down. They eventually made love that night, but the next morning, Erik replaced the mask on his face as they got dressed. He could feel a difference that morning although they never spoke of it, and although they continued to date and sleep together through the end of the school year, it became an invisible barrier between them. When they finally finished graduate school, it was almost a relief not to have to face her again. _

Erik got home and got undressed immediately. He wanted to take a shower and get to bed. He turned on the laptop he kept in his bedroom and walked down the hall to the bathroom when he heard the instant message tone from the computer. _That's probably Christine. She probably wants to finish our conversation from earlier. I don't want to talk to her right now. _He turned on the water and then stepped into the shower.

He washed his hair again although he didn't have to, and he took extra care to lather up and soap every part of his body. When he was done, he realized he didn't want to leave the shower because then he'd have to address the instant message window, so he stood under the shower letting the water beat against his back for a few more minutes. When he couldn't justify being in the shower any longer, he turned it off and dried himself with a towel, but spent another several minutes carefully applying lotion to his body. He liked the smell of this expensive French lotion because it had a very subtle, neutral fragrance, and it wasn't greasy like most American formulas. When he was finally done, he walked back into the bedroom and looked warily at the laptop. It sat there innocently on his bed, waiting.

_This is ridiculous_ he thought. He turned the computer to face him when another instant message tone sounded and a window popped up.

DiamondDiva: Good evening, Erik.

It wasn't Christine. Erik looked over at his clock and noticed it was almost ten o'clock. How the hell did someone get his screen name?

EDupont: Who is this?

DiamondDiva: Did I catch you at a bad time?

EDupont: No. Who is this? How did you get my screen name?

DiamondDiva: Believe it or not, it was a lucky guess. You'd be surprised how many people use the first initial of their first name and their last name as their screen name.

_Damn! He of all people should've known better. _

EDupont: Who are you?

DiamondDiva: This is Joanna, your new soprano.

_Joanna! What the hell?_

EDupont: This is a surprise. What can I do for you?

DiamondDiva: I was hoping we could go sightseeing this weekend if you're free.

Erik paused, he'd completely forgotten.

EDupont: I probably won't be free on the weekend.

DiamondDiva: Would you be free mid-week?

EDupont: That's a possibility.

DiamondDiva: Great! Rehearsals end early on Wednesdays. How about getting together for a late lunch on Wednesday and then you can show me around?

EDupont: You're not exactly shy, are you?

Erik was actually taken aback by her boldness.

DiamondDiva: I was shy last week. This week I want to go sightseeing. Are we on for Wednesday, then?

EDupont: You make it difficult to refuse.

DiamondDiva: Great! If you can pick me up at one o'clock, I'll be ready! I think you've already got my address and phone number.

EDupont: Yes, I do.

DiamondDiva: I'll be looking forward to it! Bye!

EDupont: Bye.

Erik sat on the bed looking at his computer for awhile after she'd signed off. He'd vaguely pictured her as something akin to a cool summer breeze that makes an appearance on a sweltering day and disappears with no trace of ever having come. Did he even want to take her sightseeing? He found his thoughts too muddled from his earlier exchange with Christine to think any more about it.

_

* * *

Thursday evening, Christine's _

"We hadn't had a chance to talk all week and the first chance we get you want to get a banana split. What the hell happened?" Megan asked as she dug into her banana split.

Christine was licking the whipped cream off her spoon and contemplating her cherries. "I can't believe this week, it's been like something out of the Twilight Zone. Saturday night was _unbelievable. _Megan, I'm absolutely, totally, and unmistakably in love! And Erik loves me, too!"

Megan gave a small shriek. "That's great! I'm so happy for you! So what's the problem?"

"Saturday was the most incredible night of my life. Erik gave me a tour of his home and it was incredible! Everything was ultramodern and it was huge! He framed the pictures he took of us on the island in the hallway, and he had paintings of his all over the house, and they were beautiful. He made this fantastic dinner, and then after that we saw 'Alien' on his big screen TV. It was like being at the movies, and it was so much fun! After the movie we moved to another part of the living room by the fireplace and had a cocktail. It was really nice. Then I went to the bathroom, and when I came out, I went to look in his bedroom, which was right across the hall, and that's when he came in to see what happened to me."

"Wow, that sounds like a great evening," Megan said dreamily. "Then what happened?"

"Then…" Christine drew it out…"we had mad, passionate sex, and it was the best sex I've ever had in my life!"

"Yes!" Megan shrieked, and they high-fived it.

"It really was the most incredible night of my life. And when I woke up the next morning, he was still in me! _That_ was a surprise, but it was great!" Christine grinned.

"Wow." Megan was in awe. "I'd sure love to wake up like that someday."

"But then I said I wanted to make love to him without the mask, and that's when things started to change. We didn't talk about it after that until he came over last night. We were having a great time and I was kissing his face when I said the mask was in the way. I told him it didn't matter what he looked like under the mask, but he got upset and left."

"He really left?" Megan looked up from her ice cream.

"Yes, he left. And I can't just pretend the mask doesn't exist, that'd be like lying. I told him that how he looks isn't going to change how I feel about him because he could be burned in a fire and that wouldn't change how I feel. I mean, I don't know what else to say to him."

Megan became quiet in that inscrutable way Christine had come to appreciate. She didn't say anything while Megan pondered this latest turn of events. After a few minutes, Megan looked up from the last of her banana split and smiled.

Christine looked at her. "What?"

"Occam's Razor."

"What's that?"

"We just went over this in Philosophy." Megan was glad something practical was coming out of her classes that wasn't directly related to dance. "Occam was a 14th century Franciscan friar who was also a logician. He put forth the principal that, all things being equal, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one."

Christine looked at her blankly.

Megan grinned. "So the answer to this problem is simple! If he doesn't want to take off the mask and have you see his face, then he doesn't have to!"

Christine's expression didn't change. "Um, Megan, I think that's where we started out at."

"Christine, think about it. He doesn't want to take the mask off. It doesn't matter what's under it, he doesn't want you to see it. So don't bring it up any more! If you love him like you say you do, give him this, because if you don't, he may not stay around."

Christine looked confused. "Megan, I do love him. I've never been so sure of anything in my life, but if he loves me like he says he does, then why won't he show me his face?"

Megan put her hand on Christine's arm. "It doesn't matter why, hon, he has his reasons. You just have to respect those reasons."

Christine looked at her, considering Megan's words carefully. She needed to think about this….


	21. Paladin's

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editors Penmora Zenith and Terpsichore314.

Chapter 21

Paladin's

_Friday evening_

Christine was listening to classical music as she rinsed off her dinner dishes. She hadn't heard from Erik in two days and missed him terribly, wondering if he was still upset with her. She'd been thinking steadily on Megan's words since last night, turning them over and over in her mind, yet the answers eluded her. She was sure she loved Erik, and she was sure he loved her, so why was his mask such a big issue? _He said there was no life without me. If that's true, then how can he keep his face from me? Megan said I should respect his wishes if I love him or he may not stay around. But his wishes don't make sense! What am I not getting?_

She suddenly heard the instant message tone from her computer. _Erik!_ She hurried over to her desk and sat down.

EDupont: Good evening, mon amour.

AriaMaven: Good evening, love.

EDupont: I wanted to apologize for leaving so abruptly the other night. I'm sorry.

AriaMaven: No, I should be the one to apologize. I shouldn't have asked you to remove your mask. I'm sorry, please forgive me.

EDupont: It is forgotten, my love. I want to see you again.

AriaMaven: I want to see you, too, baby.

EDupont: May I see you tonight?

AriaMaven: Yes.

_EDupont has signed off._

Ten minutes later, there was a light knock at her door. When she opened it, Erik stood there dressed in his signature black dress shirt, pants, shoes, and white mask, his hair windblown as if he'd driven over with the top down. _He looks so good…_

They gazed at each other uncertainly until Christine opened the door wider and said quietly, "Would you like to come in?"

She stepped aside and Erik walked into her apartment. Everything looked the same. He turned around when he heard the door close, and as he looked at her, Christine thought he seemed different somehow. He took a tentative step towards her and then paused. He suddenly seized her face with both hands and pushed her against the door with his body as he smothered her face with kisses. Christine could hardly catch her breath as she felt his arms around her and she melted into his embrace. Her heart leapt when she felt his passion for he was now kissing her with a desperation born of fear. He'd thought all night and day about Christine and of how he couldn't live without her, not now, not after finally acquiring her love after so many days, months, and years of doubt and longing.

_God, how he needed her!_ Not just for this moment and not just to possess her body, but to exist…_to live!_ Before, he'd felt he was just a shadow, moving through each day accompanied only by his music. But since Christine came into his life, he'd become so much more in every way. He had a reason to rise up in the morning and compose fantastic scores and to institute innovative programs throughout the Music Center. Because of _her_, he'd brought San Francisco to the attention of the world, and unbeknownst to him, had inadvertently placed himself in the annals of world history for his unprecedented achievements in music and architecture.

He quickly lifted up her top and moved aside her bra as he kissed every part of her he could reach. Christine could feel a tingling between her legs as she unbuttoned his shirt and undid his belt, and he quickly removed his pants and let them drop carelessly by the door as he stripped her pants from her. They were both naked from the waist down and Christine was breathless from Erik's hurried kisses down her neck and his suckling of her nipples as he grasped and kneaded her breasts roughly. His frenzied passion felt out of control as he pressed against her fully, and when he couldn't hold back any longer, he grabbed one of her legs and wrapped it around him as he took hold of himself and shoved his stiffened member into her as she cried out. Christine thought he felt incredible as he drove himself repeatedly into her, and her back was forced against the door with each thrust. Christine was overwhelmed by his passionate zeal and moaned loudly when she came, and when his hips suddenly jerked convulsively, he groaned as he emptied himself into her with a few more thrusts until he was at last spent. When they had finally finished, they leaned against the door heavily for support, trying to catch their breath.

"Christine…," he murmured, breathing deeply. "Christine…I love you. God, I love you." He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry I didn't call, I'm so sorry."

Christine leaned against the door and rested her arm over his shoulder. "Oh, Erik…no, don't be sorry…just love me.…" She kissed him gently as they finally stood. "Let's take a shower."

They showered in Christine's tub with the shower curtain pulled around them. It wasn't nearly as luxurious or as roomy as Erik's shower had been, but they were both glad and thankful to be together again. After they'd scrubbed and rinsed off, they stood there holding one another for several minutes under the hot water. Their closeness felt right, and they didn't want to let go.

When they finally stepped out of the shower, they dried off and Christine put on some relaxing music as they laid down on the bed together, the only light coming from a decorative nightlight on her bureau. Christine lay next to him, and Erik fondled and suckled her breasts as they relaxed.

"Christine?"

"Hmm?"

Erik hesitated. "I just wanted to tell you…" He paused.

"What is it, baby?" Christine had her eyes closed, but she could hear the emotion in his voice.

"I've had a chance to think for the last couple of days…and I realized just how much I love you. I don't want to fight, Christine, because I think I'm losing you...I can't lose you, it would kill me. I love you so much, Christine, you just don't know…you don't know..."

Christine opened her eyes and turned towards him. "I love you, too, Erik. You mean everything to me...everything. I never want to make love to anyone else for as long as I live," she whispered. And as if to prove her words by her actions, she lowered herself on the bed so she could be near his shaft, and she closed her eyes as she began to slowly lick the head of this now engorged member with the tip of her tongue. She wanted him to know that she was his completely, and for her love, would do anything that he desired of her.

Erik closed his eyes tightly and sucked in his breath. He couldn't believe how it felt to have Christine make love to him this way. Although he'd had sex before, he was amazed at Christine's ability to take him to the highest Heavens, for never before had he experienced such in-depth foreplay, and it was exquisite. Her tongue sleekly stroked the underside of his shaft before she gently raised his scrotum to lick the highly sensitive area underneath, which felt unbelievably arousing to him. She placed his scrotum in her mouth, first one side and then the other, and ran her tongue all over it. She would suck the balls gently, and then return to take his shaft in her mouth as she sucked it from its base all the way to its tip. And as she began to suck him faster, her head bobbing up and down, he had to pull her away so he could impale her beneath him. They both moved together in sync and began breathing harder as their passions quickly built. They soon moved roughly as his thrusts became more forceful, and they finally exploded in cries of each other's name as they jerked and convulsed in utter satisfaction.

"God, I love you, Christine. I need you, I'll always need you," he said breathlessly as he kissed her.

"I love you," Christine murmured sleepily. "Stay with me tonight."

* * *

Christine awoke slowly, and her first thought was of Erik. She felt happy and there was a definite lightness in her heart for she knew everything was right between them again. But as she turned over in the bed, she saw that he wasn't there, and when she felt his side of the bed, noticed that it was cold. She stilled to see if she could hear any sounds coming from the kitchen, but all was quiet. He'd left some time ago. 

She got up and sat on the edge of her bed, wondering why he'd left, when she glanced over to the chair by her dresser. Stacked neatly in the chair were a number of white boxes tied with trailing black satin ribbons and a card atop each box. She went over and looked at them excitedly and then brought them over to the bed. Her fingers trembling, she opened the card on the largest box, and it read _My Christine, The night is ours. I will pick you up at 8:00. Eternally, ED _

She grinned as she looked at it and excitedly wondered what it could be. She quickly shimmied off the ribbon and opened it. Whatever it was was wrapped in high quality black and ivory tissue paper which was fastened with a gold seal embossed with the name _Valentino's. _Christine gasped. If it were anyone but Erik, she would know this couldn't have been a Valentino's, but because it _was_ Erik, she knew instinctively that it had to be. She carefully undid the seal from the tissue paper and reverently lifted the garment from the box, holding it up in the light.

It was the most beautiful dress she'd ever seen. It was a very short, strapless dress made of a shimmery black fabric that had delicate silver embroidery along the bodice. The bodice was fitted and flared out to the skirt. She was speechless. She'd only seen such dresses worn by celebrities in People Magazine. She looked along the inner lining and found the satin tag which said it was a _Valentino's Original_. She was in awe as she laid the dress back in the box and looked at another box. The note atop this box read _For my Cinderella. – ED _

When she removed the ribbon and opened it, there were a pair of exquisite black satin high-heeled sandals. She knew immediately that they matched the dress perfectly. She took them out of the box to admire them and was amazed by their styling and fine workmanship. They had to have been _very _expensive. She'd never seen a style as elegant or as detailed, and when she looked at the fine gold lettering inside the shoe, noticed that everything was in Italian. She tried them on, and they looked beautiful, but even more incredible was how comfortable they were. She was amazed that Erik could pick these out himself. She loved them! She looked at the next box and the note on top which read _These are on loan from a friend. I hope you like them. – ED _

When she removed the ribbon and opened it, she almost dropped it in shock. There was an impossibly gorgeous diamond pendant necklace, a diamond bracelet, and a pair of diamond drop earrings. A thought fleetingly crossed her mind that one could buy a house with what these jewels must cost. She placed the box carefully on her dresser and took out the last box, which was considerably lighter. The note atop this one said _For she who makes my heart soar. – ED_

Christine carefully removed the ribbon and opened the box, separating the tissue paper within. It was a garment, but all she could do was stare at it, not believing her eyes. It was the most exquisitely beautiful thong panty she'd ever seen. It was made of black silk and had a beautifully designed lace butterfly with myriad tiny beads and jewels throughout its wings and body which had to have been hand sewn. Christine lifted it from the box to admire it. The back and sides were mere elasticized silk bands, but the front was the butterfly.

Looking over at each box, Christine decided to try everything on although her hair and make up were nonexistent this early in the morning. As she slipped on the dress, she noticed the fine detailing and extra touches that were present throughout and appreciated the fine workmanship that went into it. When she had the dress zipped and she'd put on the jewels, she noticed that the jewelry perfectly complemented the dress. Although the skirt was very short, falling to just five inches below her butt, she noticed that the length was just enough to keep everything covered whether seated or walking, and that with her high-heeled satin sandals, it showed off her legs to their full advantage. She marveled at the perfect fit and wondered how Erik had been able to have the dress length hemmed so perfectly to her size, for this dress left absolutely no margin for error. His taste and judgment were impeccable.

She carefully boxed the jewelry and placed it on her dresser and took off the dress. She still couldn't believe that Erik would do all this for her. She put on a robe and turned on her computer. She had to thank him immediately.

AriaMaven: Good morning, my love.

_EDupont is away._

Christine looked at her clock and noticed it was just ten o'clock. _Where could he be at ten o'clock on a Saturday morning? _Just then she got a wild idea and decided to act on it. She would write Erik a letter thanking him for everything and slip it under his door. She decided to take a shower before leaving.

As she turned on the water and stepped in, she started making a mental list of all the things she'd want to tell him in the letter. By the time she finished showering and got dressed, she sat down and composed a rough draft. She then penned it carefully on her best stationery, and reading it over one last time, she was finally satisfied and sealed it. On the front she wrote in her best hand _Erik Dupont. _She checked her computer once more to see if he was still out, and he was, so she stuffed the letter in her purse and went out the door.

She thought of him as she drove to the Phil and about the past several weeks because it seemed as though they'd done more in a month than she normally did in an entire year. She remembered the Bal Masque and the people he was acquainted with and dealt with in the course of his job and thought it was all just so amazing. Rick had been associated with the upper rungs of society as well, but Erik was in another league altogether, although that was really neither here nor there.

It seemed like she'd pulled up to the Music Center in no time since her mind had been preoccupied. She walked in the front entrance and over to the elevator as a couple of young women crossed the lobby. She didn't know them, but she noticed that the blond woman was uncommonly beautiful, and as they passed her, she caught a portion of their conversation.

"…taking you sightseeing Wednesday! You must have made a great impression on him because I've never heard of Mr. Dupont…"

Christine stared at them as they turned a corner and the elevator doors opened. She got in and hit the topmost button for the sixth floor. She wondered about the conversation she'd just heard between the women. Was Erik supposed to take that woman sightseeing Wednesday? She wondered who she was. Did she work there, or was she a performer? _She has to be a performer because she's so beautiful. _

As the elevator door opened up, she stepped out onto a wide lighted corridor and looked around. There was a plain wooden door across from the elevator which had a plaque on it stating it was the staircase, and the only other door was an ornate wooden door to the left of the elevator down the hall. As she walked up to it, Christine noticed that there was no identifying plaque on it. Apparently, unless one intended to see Erik specifically, there'd be no reason for anyone to come up here, she thought.

As she looked down at the door, Christine wondered if she'd be able to slip her letter under it, and as she tried it, found that it just barely made it. _This place is locked tighter than a drum. _Her mission accomplished, she decided to go downstairs and check out the gift shop before heading home again.

As she walked into the gift shop, she noticed a few people already there. She walked over to the music boxes and wondered if she'd find anything affordable. As she examined the half dozen music boxes on display, one in particular caught her eye. She thought it looked Italian and it had a beautiful flower on the lid. She turned the crank slightly to engage the music mechanism and it started to play. Christine recognized the piece immediately as _Think of Me _from the opera _Hannibal. Erik would love this _she thought. She held her breath as she searched for the price tag. Most items in the gift shop were beyond her budget, so it was with bated breath that she turned over the price tag to see that it was $75. Her heart sank. She couldn't possibly afford a $75 music box, but immediately started brainstorming on how she _could_ afford it. Perhaps she could ask Madame Wu for more hours at the store, or maybe she could offer to type school papers… Or maybe she could go into her school savings. This final option seemed the most reasonable, so she took the music box to the counter and wrote out a check for it, requesting that it be gift wrapped.

"That's a beautiful music box you just bought."

Christine looked up suddenly to her right and saw Roan smiling at her from about three feet away. It was the first time she'd seen him dressed casually, and he looked rather …wholesome.

"Roan! What are you doing here on a weekend?" she smiled. "Don't you ever go home?"

"No, I really have no life. It seems like I live here, doesn't it?" he chuckled. "I'm just here working on a project for the Christmas Gala and broke for lunch. I like to come into the gift shop sometimes to see what's new. What brings you here on a Saturday?"

"I just needed to drop something off. I'm on my way home now." Christine collected her package.

"Why don't you join me for lunch and we can talk?"

Christine wasn't sure if she should, but since there really wasn't any reason not to, agreed. "Okay, Gaston's?"

"Of course," he grinned, and they walked across the plaza to the restaurant.

As they entered Gaston's, Roan spoke to the hostess for seating and Christine was amused as she noticed the hostess' flirtatious mannerisms as she led them to a booth and left their menus. When they were ready to order, a waitress approached their table and Christine noticed her smiling broadly at Roan and giving him more than the usual attention. To his credit, Roan seemed oblivious to the entire display and was focused solely on Christine, but she couldn't really blame the women because Roan _was_ quite handsome.

They placed their orders and had a very casual and relaxed time conversing about school and work and their plans for the future. Christine was pleased that Roan hadn't brought up Erik at all, or even Rick for that matter, and found that she enjoyed talking to him. He listened sincerely to what she had to say and seemed to take a genuine interest in her opinions and plans for her future. She found out that Roan was the oldest of three children and that his family was very wealthy and close to Rick's family from when they were small. By the time lunch was over and they were about to part ways, Christine felt she'd made a new friend.

"Thanks for lunch," she smiled as they walked back to the Phil. "I really enjoyed that."

"We'll have to do it again sometime, or anytime if you'd just like to talk. Give me a call," he smiled, and he waved goodbye as he walked back to his office.

Christine drove home feeling happy and looking forward to the evening. She took the gift wrapped music box from the bag and placed it the living room. She looked forward to giving it to Erik tonight when he picked her up.

* * *

Erik was feeling wonderful as he drove to Christine's. They'd had a good evening last night, and the tensions from two nights ago were all but forgotten. He loved being with her, he loved making love to her, and he appreciated everything about her. If only the mask wasn't an issue… 

He'd spent the morning with Amir. They'd gone out for breakfast and talked, and when he'd come back in the afternoon, had been pleasantly surprised to find Christine's letter pushed under his door. She'd poured out her feelings for him and thanked him for bringing so much happiness into her life. She'd been greatly impressed and thankful for the dress and accessories, and she looked forward to their evening together. _If only she knew_ _that it's she who brings so much happiness to me, _he thought.

He parked in front of Madame Wu's and climbed the stairs to her apartment. He knocked gently and Christine opened the door, a vision of loveliness. Her hair was up in a very sexy, artfully mussed style with tendrils which hung in a manner which showed off the diamond jewelry splendidly. Her dress fit her perfectly and looked wonderful. "Christine, you look magnificent," he said as he held her away from him and looked at her, smiling a secret smile as he imagined what was under it. He was very pleased and stepped forward to kiss her gently.

When Christine saw Erik, he was nothing short of _devastating. _He wore a stylish black three-piece suit that fit him _incredibly _well, a white silk dress shirt, and white silk tie with a small onyx tie pin in the shape of a knight chess piece. His hair was combed back and his white mask looked striking against his suit. Christine couldn't look away. "You look _incredible_, my love," she whispered as she kissed him. "Thank you so much for this dress and the accessories. Everything's so beautiful, and the jewelry, I feel like a princess," she beamed.

"Are we ready to go?" Erik asked with a smile.

Christine pulled him into the living room. "In a moment. I have something for you," she said mysteriously. When they were seated, she presented him with the gift wrapped box.

Erik looked genuinely surprised. "You got this for me? You didn't have to."

"I know, that's why I did it." She loved that he was surprised.

He removed the ribbon and then carefully removed the wrapping paper. When he came down to the package itself, he opened it and saw that it was a beautiful music box. He smiled and took it out of the packaging. He immediately noticed its fine craftsmanship, and as he carefully opened the lid, the first strains of _Think of Me _wafted out. Erik loved it, and he began to feel a lump in his throat, for no one had ever given him such a gift before. He turned to Christine and gave her a kiss. "Thank you," he whispered. "I love it."

Christine gathered her wrap and evening bag and locked the door as they made their way downstairs. As Erik led her to the car, Christine was amazed to see that tonight's was a silver Ferrari! Christine thought it was the most beautiful car she'd ever seen in her life. _Just how many cars does he have?_ Erik helped her in and Christine was just amazed by the luxuriousness of it all. As Erik turned on some soft, mellow music, they drove south toward the area bordered by Nob Hill and the Financial District, which was fairly close to her home. Christine noticed they were approaching another one of the five-star hotels in the city, but this time, Erik drove into the underground parking garage himself rather than leaving it to the valets. After they parked, Erik opened Christine's door and helped her out, and they walked over to an elevator. Christine wondered if they'd ride to the top again, but was surprised when Erik hit the down button and they descended four stories.

When the doors opened, they faced the elegant entrance to yet another exclusive restaurant: _Paladin's_.

Christine took Erik's hand and was overwhelmed yet again by the opulence and elegance that were available to those who could afford it. It was a large room that was comfortably filled with diners dressed formally and who were obviously people of means. Over the soft music could be heard the quiet buzz of conversation. As Erik spoke to the hostess, Christine noticed the surprising attention to detail, from the lighting, which was dim, to the classic décor, the tables covered with white tablecloths, and a candlestick lamp atop each that was topped by a small pleated lampshade. As they were led to their table, she suddenly heard, "Christine!"

She looked toward the sound of her name and was surprised to see Megan and Amir waiting for them. "Megan!" Christine approached the table as Megan stood and they hugged each other tightly. "What a surprise!"

Erik and Amir shook hands and Erik greeted Megan with a smile and kissed her cheek as Amir likewise greeted Christine with a kiss. Christine admired Megan's dress just as Megan was admiring hers, and she knew Amir had to have gotten it for her since they were very familiar with each other's wardrobes. Megan's dress was also short and black and had spaghetti straps and tiny rhinestones throughout. She'd also styled her hair more formally and also had jewelry on loan. Amir looked incredible his suit, and as Christine looked at both men, thought they looked much too handsome to be allowed. In fact, she noticed that, like at Fong's, they turned heads when they were together. As they took their seats, Erik and Amir asked them what they'd like to drink. Christine and Megan both requested the house specials, and so the men left the ladies to chat while they walked over to the bar.

"You clean up rather well, old man," Erik smiled as they placed their drink orders.

"And you," he smirked as he looked back over at their table. "Christine looks quite nice tonight."

"As does Megan." Erik looked over at their dates appreciatively. They both noticed that the ladies were attracting quite a bit of attention from the other young men there, and they felt a quiet pride in their women.

Christine and Megan were obviously oblivious to the stir they were causing among the men seated near them, but weren't nearly as oblivious to the attention their men were receiving from the women at the restaurant. As Erik and Amir sat at the bar, Christine was again struck by how incredibly handsome they were. How fitting that they should be best friends. Not only were they handsome of face, but they looked wonderfully elegant in their dress attire while sitting on the barstools. Christine was proud to be seen with Erik, and Megan felt the same about Amir.

"So I take it you guys have made up?" Megan asked with a smile.

"Yes, we made up last night. I see Amir's looking very well," she said as she glanced over at the men.

Megan looked over also. "Yeah, he's great," she smiled. "Actually, a lot more than great. I see Erik's looking well, too. Um, have you thought about Occam's Razor?"

"I haven't thought of anything else," she said quietly, "and I'm still thinking about it."

Megan's smile faded slightly. "You'll get it eventually, but I just hope it won't be too late."

Christine looked around the room, taking in the rich décor.

"You know, we're really going to have to stop meeting like this."

Christine looked up toward the voice and suddenly found herself looking into Roan's deep blue eyes. "Roan? What are you doing here?"

"It's my parents' anniversary. We're over there celebrating," he smiled, and he pointed towards a private room that was filled with a few dozen friends and relatives. He looked wonderful in his black suit, and Christine vaguely recalled the term _dressed to kill. _

"Roan, you know my friend Megan Gerard, don't you?"

He smiled over to her and extended his hand. "Yes, of course, long time no see! I must say, you both look beautiful," and he looked them both over with an appreciative grin.

Just then, Erik and Amir returned to the table with their drinks. "Mr. Richards, a pleasure to see you." Amir wore his charming face and shook his hand warmly. "You know our resident composer, Erik Dupont."

Roan looked over at him and smiled warmly as they shook hands. "Only by reputation, we've never formally met, but I'm very honored."

Erik smiled back with his poker face. "My pleasure."

"My parents' anniversary," Roan offered by way of an explanation. "I'd better get back before they send out a search party. It was very nice meeting you, have a nice evening." He said this last with a parting glance at Christine and a hand to her back, all of which Erik took in.

As they sat down, Erik wanted to kiss Christine passionately this very moment because she looked so beautiful, but instead, he raised her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back. Christine looked over at him and smiled warmly, a significant look passing between them. She placed her hand on his thigh as he placed his hand behind her chair and they turned their attention back to their menus. "What would you like, my love?" he murmured to her.

"Since I've never been here before, please order for me," she suggested, and he gently rubbed her back in acknowledgment. How he loved going out with Christine, for she knew the things that pleased him. Paladin's was known for their steak and seafood, and knowing that Christine was partial to seafood, decided to order that for her.

On the other side of the table, Amir and Megan were sitting very close together and would occasionally share a kiss. Christine thought they looked perfect together, like a fairytale couple. She was having such a wonderful time.

"Are you my happy, my love?" Erik whispered close to her ear.

Christine turned to him and whispered back, "Very," and then kissed him on the lips.

Amir noticed their exchange and smiled inwardly. It warmed him to know that his friend was experiencing happiness with a woman at last, especially being that it was with Christine. He'd been aware of the changes in Erik from the time Erik had first seen her until now, and it was as though a vast desert in drought had suddenly come alive and blossomed after a long awaited rain. Yes, Christine was the best thing for him.

When it came time to place their orders, Erik and Christine ordered oysters on the half shell appetizers and lobster with Dom Perignon, while Amir and Megan ordered petite cuts of filet mignon with a dry Bordeaux. Dinner was absolutely lovely and Christine loved everything about it from their unusual entrance, to the ambiance, to the food and service. For dessert, Erik and Christine leisurely shared a dish of French vanilla ice cream drizzled with Grand Marnier, while Amir and Megan had Irish coffee with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. When they were done, Erik and Amir placed some bills on the table and rose, helping the ladies to their feet.

When they stepped into the elevator, Christine thought they'd return to the surface and to their cars, but instead, Amir hit the down button and they descended one more floor. When the doors opened, they faced a dimly lit but elaborate foyer and an elegant glass soundproof wall with a large glass revolving door, each pane etched with the Paladin symbol. The name and symbol of the establishment was etched next to the revolving door: _The Paladin Club. _


	22. The Paladin Club

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editor Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 22

The Paladin Club

As they stepped out of the elevator to approach the revolving door, the view beyond was unbelievable. Christine would never in her life have thought Erik to frequent such a place. It was dark and the room was very large and packed with people. There were multi-colored lights shooting around the room from three different locations, and from the activity within, it was obvious they were in a frenzy of dancing. As they pushed through the revolving door, they were engulfed in darkness and in the strains of a booming techno beat. Once they were all on the other side of the door, Amir spoke to one of the hosts who led them along the edge of the throng to a comfortably lighted booth a couple steps above the crowd. Christine was amazed that as loud as the music was, it was still possible to carry on conversation comfortably in their booth, which was all but impossible at other clubs she'd been to.

They ordered drinks, shots of bourbon for the men and French martinis for the ladies, and settled down to watch the dancing. It was an exciting environment, but Christine noticed that Erik and Amir seemed very relaxed, as though they were accustomed to being here, whereas she and Megan were thoroughly excited by the music and activity which was constant.

Christine had heard of there being black and white clubs in the city but had never known of anyone who'd ever been to one. They were reputed to be underground clubs for high-society types and were only for those who dressed to the nines, but only in black or white. Paladin's was apparently one of them.

She loved to people-watch as they danced and was amazed at the different types of people there were on the dance floor. The music was definitely throbbing, and whether it was the music, the dancing, or the alcohol, Christine could feel herself being drawn by some instinctive urge. She glanced over at Megan and thought she saw the same thing on her face and in her mannerisms, although she couldn't put a name to it.

They'd been there for about a half hour when Christine thought she saw Erik and Amir exchange a look. She thought it was her imagination, but was surprised when in the next moment Erik suddenly took her hand and pulled her from the booth to the dance floor.

Erik pulled her into the crowd and they were soon engulfed in a sea of writhing bodies amidst the booming techno music which was irresistible. Although it was dark, she could see Erik and the others around them due to the flashing beams of light, and when she looked at him, his mask stood out starkly in the darkness. As she began to dance, she saw Erik's eyes burn into her own as he moved suggestively to the beat. She had never imagined him dancing in a nightclub, but now he was dancing in a manner that was seriously arousing and which was exciting her baser instincts. Her eyes were on him as the rhythmic strains continued, and he moved closer to her, turning her around suddenly so that her back was to him. He placed his hand on her abdomen, pressing her to him as he rocked and swayed, until she felt they were moving as one, and she could feel his member pressed against her back. As she swayed with him, she leaned her head back against him and closed her eyes, being swallowed up in the music and vibrations coursing through her. She couldn't believe the feelings he was arousing in her just by dancing.

Due to the density of the crowd, they would have been difficult to see unless one stared directly at them, but Amir and Megan were watching from the booth and could see everything that was happening. Megan couldn't believe what was taking place before her eyes, never imagining that Erik could dance like that. But even from their booth, she could feel the sexual power he exuded and see Christine succumbing to it. Megan had started breathing harder as she stared at them, and Amir knew what she was feeling for he and Erik had been masters of seduction in Persia. Megan's eyes were riveted on the couple as Amir slowly placed his arm around her and turned her face to his. He kissed her deeply, his tongue slowly and erotically touching her, and he could tell by her response that she was more than ready.

As the music played, Erik turned Christine to face him once again, and he held her close to him so that her face was mere inches from his own. He tangled his fingers in her hair and brought her closer as he whispered harshly, "I want you." Her self-control was a hair's breadth from failing. She felt the familiar warmth in her chest spreading downward until she could feel the tingling between her legs. She wanted him to take her. He put his arms around her as he swayed seductively, and as Christine held him, she could smell his cologne and feel his body heat. He knelt slightly as they danced and he placed his hands on the backs of her legs. She could feel him move them upward under her dress…until he grabbed her butt, taking hold of both cheeks. She was shocked, but so aroused by this unexpected move that she released a deep breath and melted into his embrace. Erik squeezed and massaged her firmly and deliberately and could tell the effect this was having on her. She was his.

Erik released her and gently disengaged her from him. Christine was close to coming undone as he led her back to their table. As they approached, Erik noticed that Amir had been kissing Megan, who now looked positively spent. As they settled themselves in the booth and sipped some water, Amir took Megan's hand and led her out onto the dance floor until they were surrounded by the others. The beat pounded on, and as they danced, Amir took Megan's hand and moved with her very seductively. Erik and Christine watched them from their table and Erik smirked. She didn't stand a chance.

As they danced to the hypnotic beat, Amir spun her around so that her back was pressed to him. She heard him whisper slowly and huskily into her ear, "Trust…me."

She wondered what he meant when she suddenly felt his hand on her butt. He'd lifted up her dress and moved aside her panties and she felt him insert his fingers into her! Megan felt him slowly rub her vaginal lips with her fluids, and she bent over slightly in response to the delicious feelings now coursing through her from his touch, but breathed in sharply when his cock abruptly thrust into her! Erik turned and saw that Christine was staring raptly at them on the dance floor and that her chest was heaving. They looked like they were dirty dancing, but she knew they were having sex, and she felt herself unbelievably aroused as she watched them grinding together on the dance floor. Erik knew that Christine was now more than ready, and he smirked at what he knew the evening would bring.

Megan was incredulous…never in her life had she ever imagined herself having sex on a dance floor! But Amir was incredible, and she didn't want him to stop as he moved in and out of her in time to the music. She was starting to feel herself tingling, and she knew it wouldn't be long before she lost control…. Amir knew she was close. She was exactly where he wanted her. He pulled out of her and zipped his pants and then twirled her around roughly as he held her in his arms. She was breathless as she looked up into his eyes, and he saw that her eyes were glazed from her impending release. He smirked inwardly…it was time to go.

When Amir and Megan returned from the dance floor, Amir handed Megan some ice water to cool down, but they all agreed it was time. They made their way out the revolving door, into the elevator and then to their vehicles. As they took their leave from each other they again exchanged hugs and kisses and Erik and Amir shook hands. "We'll be in touch," were Amir's parting words to Erik.

Amir helped Megan into his Jaguar and they drove off as Erik helped Christine into the Ferrari. They drove home to Erik's and were there within ten minutes.

They hardly spoke as they rode up the elevator to the apartment. As they exited the elevator, Christine stepped out first and automatically headed toward the bedroom, but before she'd gone ten steps, Erik grabbed her roughly by the upper arm and spun her around. "What do you…!" She was unable to finish as Erik suddenly kissed her and pinned her to him. She was surprised by his sudden roughness as he pushed her to the carpet and lay on top of her, pinning her. He reached under her dress and she yelped in surprise as he grabbed hold of her panties and roughly ripped them off.

Since their dance, Christine had already been in a heightened state of arousal and so was quickly provoked by this sudden attack and was soon passionately kissing him. She felt his hand go between them and she knew he was unzipping his trousers. He pushed her legs apart with his and she cried out as he plunged into her, causing her to moan and writhe as he pumped into her. He reached up as he continued his onslaught and pushed her bodice down to reveal her breasts, and he grabbed and suckled them hungrily as he continued thrusting. Christine could feel herself starting to tense as his movements rubbed mercilessly against her tender nub, and she cried out as she suddenly erupted in agonizing ecstasy. When he'd felt her violently convulse, Erik began to thrust harder and deeper until he felt himself approaching the edge of no return, and he suddenly exploded within her with a rapturous shudder and groan.

When his orgasm left him spent, he supported himself over her on his elbows and kissed her gently on her lips. He tucked himself back into his trousers before he rose and helped Christine to her feet. Her hair was disheveled and she looked like a woman ravished, but unmistakably loved. Christine smoothed her dress somewhat so she could walk, but Erik supported her arm as she walked unsteadily to the bedroom. He helped her unzip her dress and they both got undressed to shower. It was about midnight when they finally came to bed.

Christine lay in Erik's arms comfortably as they each remembered the evening. The dinner, the club, dancing, sex… Christine was so happy, she was so in love.

Erik could feel each deep intake of breath as she slept, he could smell her, feel her hair against his skin, and he could feel her warmth. She was so beautiful tonight, and he remembered how she'd responded to him as he danced for her. He'd wanted to take her even as he danced, but he'd waited until they'd gotten home, and then he took her when he could wait no longer. He remembered tearing her panties, forcing himself into her, her cries as she orgasmed because of him. How he loved feeling her body convulse from the pleasure he gave her. She was his…she would always be his.… He loved her more than life.

* * *

Christine awoke slowly, she smelled bacon frying. She breathed in deeply and smiled as she turned over on her back and stretched, knowing that Erik was making breakfast. 

She rose up quickly and grabbed a robe as she made her way to the bathroom. She took a quick shower and made herself presentable before walking into the kitchen in her robe.

Erik was turning bacon when she walked in and she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. "Good morning, baby," she murmured as she squeezed him tightly. He turned around and wrapped his arms around her.

"Good morning, my love. Sleep well?" he smiled.

"I always sleep well with you," she said, resting her head against his chest.

"Good," he said, releasing her and turning back to the bacon. "Sit down, breakfast is almost ready."

"What's for breakfast?"

"I thought I'd splurge this morning and make waffles. Normally I'd just have toast and juice, but this morning is special," he winked.

Christine grinned. "What did you want to do today?"

"Anything you want," he said, fixing their plates.

"Really?"

"Sure, we can go out or stay in, take a ride, go sight-seeing, go shopping. You name it."

"Well, there is one thing I'd really like," Christine said slowly as Erik sat next to her at the counter.

"Anything." As he poured syrup over his waffles, he imagined purchasing her a new wardrobe, jewelry, or perhaps a new car…

Christine smiled shyly. " I'd really like to hear you play _An Overture for Mankind_." And as though to convince him further said softly, "You once said you would."

Erik looked at her blankly. This was totally unexpected. He would have purchased her _anything_, but she wanted to hear him play his masterpiece. He put his fork down and hugged her emotionally as his heart swelled with joy and love. He was speechless.

Christine was at a loss. "Erik…what is it? Did I say something?"

Erik's shoulders shook as he chuckled. "No, you didn't say anything," he murmured. "I think I could arrange to play it for you later…I love you so much."

After they finished breakfast they cleaned the dishes and then got dressed. Christine was happy. She'd put on her dress from the night before since she didn't bring a change of clothes, but now she didn't have any panties. She playfully wondered if Erik would notice.

She walked into the living room and sat in one of the couches that looked out over the city as she thought again about Occam's Razor. As she pondered the question, she gradually became aware of a piano melody playing, and then recognized it as _An Overture for Mankind. _It was just like her CD, so she assumed Erik had put on a recording. She wandered down the hallway to the studio but stopped short when she saw Erik sitting at the grand piano playing the piece that was now haunting the world.

He watched her as she quietly approached, and continued playing. It was beautiful and breathtaking, and as she watched him and observed his fingers float over the keys effortlessly, she couldn't stop the tears as they again fell freely from the power of this piece. No other piece of music would ever affect her as this did. He played a much shorter version for her, but it was no less moving. When he finally finished, her face was wet from tears that still fell; she couldn't stop them. The overture reached into her soul and addressed the deepest part of her, her longings, her hopes and her dreams. Erik came around to where she stood and put his arms around her as she began to quietly sob. He stroked her hair as he held her, quietly shushing her and telling her it was all right, and then he picked her up in his arms easily and walked with her into the living room, sitting down on the couch with her in his lap.

She felt like a little girl as she lay with her head against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, and she could feel the warmth of his chest through his shirt. She raised her head up slightly to look at him and he kissed her gently. "I love you, Christine," he murmured softly. "I'll always love you."

He kissed her again, deeply, and Christine responded, wanting to feel his arms around her again. She undid the top two buttons of his shirt so she could feel his chest, and as she did so, she could feel his growing desire and his quickening breath. He brought his hand up to the bodice of her dress and felt for her breast, squeezing it through the fabric. He lowered his hand and brought it under her dress so that he could feel her wetness. When he realized she had no undergarments, he opened her legs slightly and inserted his fingers into her. She was deliciously wet and he rubbed her along her pink folds, then silkily rubbed her clit so that Christine's nerve endings were awakened and she involuntarily arched her back and closed her eyes as she moaned rapturously in complete bliss. He kissed and suckled the skin along her neck, and then pulled down her bodice so he could access the ruddy peaks of her nipples. Christine was quickly aroused and she wanted Erik within her yet again.

Erik lifted her up to place her on the couch as he shifted positions so that he was now above her. He nuzzled her neck as his one hand squeezed her breast and the other quickly undid his zipper to release his now straining cock. He took hold of himself and guided his stiff rod to her entrance as her legs wrapped themselves around him. He plunged into her quickly, causing her to gasp, and he repeatedly thrust into her and out until he suddenly shuddered and jerked, depositing all of his juices, until he fell back in exhaustion.

Christine lay next to him, unfulfilled and straining against her need. He'd never left her unfulfilled before. She was about to touch herself when she suddenly felt his fingers between her legs. He was masturbating her, skillfully, as he teased one of her nipples with his other hand. The sensation was so wonderful, and she found herself responding just as fully as if he were eating her. She soon began to tremble and then exploded in ecstasy, moaning and crying out loudly. When she began to come down from her orgasm, Erik continued to rub and stimulate her clit still slick with his fluids combined with hers so that she again began to feel her nerve endings tingle to the point of exploding. She was in an on-going state of euphoria as he continued to stimulate her for the next half hour. Christine would never have believed it possible to orgasm continuously over such an extended period of time had she not experienced it herself.

She was completely satisfied but exhausted from endlessly orgasming, and immediately fell into a deep sleep. Her hair was disheveled and her clothes were in a state of disarray after Erik had finished with her: her breasts were still exposed, her dress was pulled up past her hips, and her legs were apart. She looked ravaged, but beautiful and extremely sexual. Erik gently got up from the couch so as not to wake her and went to the bedroom. He returned with a light blanket and his digital camera and took some pictures of her, close-ups, and others showing her on the couch, her legs open. He knew no one could look into the living room through the window because of the large patio area outside it, but in the photograph it looked as though she were facing a picture window. He thought she looked incredibly beautiful. He intended to collect a number of sexually explicit photographs of her alone and with him, and would place them in a leather-bound volume. On a special day, perhaps on an anniversary, he would present it to her as a gift between them. This thought excited him, and as sexual as Christine was, he was sure she would find it so as well. He positioned her comfortably on the couch and covered her with the light blanket and he made his way to the kitchen to make early preparations for their dinner.

* * *

They'd had a late lunch and then spent a casual and carefree time relaxing in Erik's apartment that afternoon. Dinner was light since Christine would be going home soon, and so they relaxed together before the fire. 

"You look like you were deep in thought, my love. Care to share?"

Christine had been thinking about this almost nonstop for days. Megan may be right about respecting his wish not to show her his face, but she felt she had a right by this time to know why. Erik couldn't get upset at her for wanting to know the reason why he didn't want to show his face to her. She took a deep breath before she began.

"You know, there will never be a day when I won't love you, whether it's a month from now or fifty years from now. Whether we'll still together by then or not, I don't know, but if I'm still alive, I'll still love you."

Anubis hopped up on the couch and settled herself on Erik's lap. "I feel the same way, love." Erik sensed a serious talk coming as he scratched Anubis under her chin.

"I understand that you don't want to take your mask off in front of me and I respect that, but I'd like to know why." Christine looked into his eyes so he would know she wanted an answer.

Erik sighed. He'd known she'd ask eventually, but if they were going to be together, she had a right to know. He looked into the fire and thought about what to say. He felt the truth would be the best course.

He turned his attention to her fully. "I was born with a severe birth defect, and that's why I wear the mask. I've had numerous operations to correct it when I was a child, but they eventually had to stop. I had a girlfriend many years ago and I thought we might get married someday. She wanted to see my face and said that she would always love me and would always stay with me. But when she saw it, things changed, and after graduation, we never saw each other again. I don't ever want to go through that again."

Christine nodded and thought about this. She'd seen pictures of birth defects before, severe ones. How bad could it be? And he was basing his fear on someone else's reaction. She was bothered by this. She couldn't imagine any scenario which would cause her not to love him.

"So you don't want to show me your face based on how an old girlfriend reacted. That's not quite fair, is it?" she asked softly.

"Perhaps not…but that's how I feel," he responded gently.

This last remark hurt her because it meant that he didn't trust her enough to believe she would stay with him. He expected her to leave if she saw his face.

Christine rose from the couch and walked over to stand by the fire. She thought about Pinecone and suddenly wished she could be home with her.

Erik walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Do you understand, my love?"

Christine didn't answer immediately. "I don't know if I do," she responded honestly without emotion. "I'm not her, but yet you think I'll be like her. Do you see anything wrong with that?"

"I'm sorry," he said softly as he held her.

Christine couldn't take this. "I am, too," she whispered hoarsely as she broke away and walked quickly to the bedroom.

Erik watched her go, his heart and mind a jumble of confused emotion. Of course she wouldn't understand why he couldn't show her. Christine could never understand the depth of his love for her. She was his life, the inspiration for his music, his reason for wanting to face each new day. He'd never really gotten over Sarah's rejection, but if Christine were to reject him, too, it would kill him, literally. No, he could never take that chance. But all she could see was the mask. _Christine, I would do anything for you, buy you anything, grant you any wish or desire, but you will never run away from me because of what lies beneath this mask. You will never run from me because of my face. _

Christine sat on the bed as her tears fell. She grabbed a tissue from the dresser. She felt she was being punished for someone else's behavior and didn't know what to do about it. She already knew she would stay with him whether she saw his face or not, and whether he thought she'd stay or not. She was staying either way, so what difference did it make? What bothered her was that _he_ thought she wouldn't stay if she saw it. Did he really think her so weak, so shallow? But if that was Erik's reasoning, there was nothing she could do but accept it whether it was fair or not. In her mind, there was no choice to be made, for the choice was already made for her.

He'd driven her home that night, and she laid in bed now thinking back to his last words to her as he kissed her at her door: "I love you, Christine. No matter what, I'll always love you."

_

* * *

Tuesday evening _

DiamondDiva: Good evening, Erik.

EDupont: Good evening, Joanna.

DiamondDiva: Did I catch you at a bad time?

EDupont: I have a few minutes. How can I help you?

DiamondDiva: I just wanted to make sure we were still on for tomorrow.

Erik really didn't want to go and wondered if there could be a way to get out of it.

EDupont: It's expected to rain tomorrow. Perhaps another time would be better.

DiamondDiva: I really don't mind the rain if you don't. I was really looking forward to getting out tomorrow.

Perhaps he could kill two birds with one stone.

EDupont: Would you mind if I brought someone along with us?

DiamondDiva: No, I wouldn't mind.

EDupont: Then we'll see you at one.

DiamondDiva: Okay, bye!

EDupont: Bye.

Erik stood and looked out the window. It was overcast. His mind wandered to an evening not long ago when he and Christine had run through the rain and he'd kissed her under the streetlight. The memory brought a warmth to his heart. How he wished Christine could be with him now. When she was with him, he felt complete.

No, he really didn't want to go sight-seeing, but it seemed he had no choice. He hadn't spoken to Christine since he'd said goodnight to her Sunday night. It seemed there was an issue every time they got together now, and that saddened him. Christine was all that mattered to him, yet she was hung up on his mask. He turned to his computer.

EDupont: Christine, are you still awake, my love?

After a few moments, there was a reply.

AriaMaven: Hi, baby, I'm still up.

EDupont: I've missed you.

AriaMaven: I've missed you, too.

EDupont: I have to do something tomorrow, and I wondered if you'd like to accompany me?

AriaMaven: What do you have to do?

EDupont: I have to take our new soprano sight-seeing.

_So it's true. He _was_ going to take that woman from the Phil sight-seeing. But why does he have to?_

AriaMaven: I didn't realize that was a part of your job description.

EDupont: It's not.

AriaMaven: Then why do you have to take her sight-seeing?

EDupont: It's rather complicated and I'd rather not go into it right now, but I'd love it if you could join us.

AriaMaven: I can't, you know I have to work tomorrow afternoon.

EDupont: Couldn't you ask Madame Wu to give you a day off?

AriaMaven: I can't afford to take a day off, I've got bills to pay.

EDupont: I could help you with those.

AriaMaven: Don't you dare! I can pay my own bills, thank you!

EDupont: Sorry I asked.

AriaMaven: I'd come if I could, but I really have to work. Try not to have too good a time with her.

Erik smiled. As if he could enjoy any other woman's company but Christine's.

EDupont: You have nothing to worry about, cherie. Besides, I think it's going to rain.

AriaMaven: Good, maybe you'll get back early, and then maybe you could stop by the store.

EDupont: I'll try. I love you.

AriaMaven: I love you, too, baby. Bye.

EDupont: Bye.

Well, he tried. Erik sat back in his chair and thought about what tomorrow might bring. It would only be for one afternoon, and then that evening he could see Christine. It'd also give him a chance to find her a gift.

Anubis hopped onto his lap and began nuzzling his hand. That was one thing he'd always loved about this cat, that she never hesitated when she wanted to be shown affection, unlike some cats who did their best to be aloof. Erik sighed deeply. Sometimes it seemed he measured time by how long it'd be before he saw Christine again. He wondered what Amir was doing right now. It seemed he and Megan were getting along swimmingly. If only things could be as easy for him, but they never were.

_

* * *

Wednesday afternoon _

"You really asked him?" Megan stretched out on Christine's bed. "And…?"

Christine sat cross-legged in her favorite chair while she scratched Pinecone's stomach. "If he didn't want me to see his face, I felt I at least had a right to know why. He must've felt the same way since he told me. He didn't even get upset."

"So what did he say?"

"He says he wears it because he has a severe birth defect. They'd tried to fix it when he was small, but they weren't able to, so he wears the mask. I was okay with that, but the part that bothered me was when he told me about an old girlfriend that dumped him because of it. They were thinking about getting married, but when she saw his face, things changed, and when school ended, that was the end of that. So now he feels that if I see his face, I'll end up leaving him, too. I feel like I'm being punished for somebody else's reaction."

"Did you tell him how you felt about it?"

"In so many words I told him it wasn't fair, and he just said that that's the way it was."

"Then what happened?"

"Well, it got smoothed over and we've talked since then, but it really isn't resolved."

"So now what?"

"I don't know…I was hoping you could give me a hint," she smiled hesitantly.

Megan laid still on her back for a few moments and looked up at the ceiling, thinking.

"By the way, how's everything with you and Amir?"

Megan suddenly grinned widely. "Everything with us so far is _great! _I think I'm in love!"

"That's great!" she squealed. Christine jumped off the chair and threw Pinecone on the floor as she went over to Megan and gave her a hug. "Does he feel the same way?"

"Well, he hasn't said anything yet, but all the signs are there. He got this for me." She pulled a necklace out from her sweater and Christine's eyes grew wide.

"Oh my god," she whispered. It was a beautiful heart-shaped diamond. Christine looked admiringly at it and knew it had to cost a fortune. "Oh, Megan…" Christine looked up at her friend in awe.

"It's funny, he'll go through all this, but it's like he's still trying to hold back. You'd think it'd kill him to say 'I love you.'"

Christine grinned, happy that Megan had found someone at last. "Well, like you said, he'll get around to it when he's good and ready. It was great double dating last weekend. I can't believe how well those two can dance! Where do you supposed they learned to dance like that?"

"I dunno, but something must have been going on. Everything felt so surreal, and when we got home…_damn!" _

Christine smiled. "Yeah, I know what you mean. It was the same for us when we got home. I didn't even make it to the bedroom!"

Megan snorted. "At least you made it back to the apartment! We were in the elevator!"

They both cracked up to the point of tears. Christine was holding her stomach from the laughter. "Erik just seems too good to be true. He's almost perfect. I still don't really know that much about him, but he's so good to me, and he really seems to love me. I mean, what do I have to offer him…nothing, just me."

"Well, maybe you're just what he needs. I think the same thing about Amir. He's had loads of girlfriends, I've even seen some of them, impossibly gorgeous women, so what does he see in me? But it's me he wants, not them. All I can do is be myself and give him the best I have to give, and it seems to be enough."

"I'm always afraid something's going to happen, that I'm going to lose him for some reason. I don't think I could go on without him. I mean, I'd go on living, but I wouldn't be happy."

"I know what you mean, but we just have to trust that they'll come back to _us._"

"So what do you think I should do about the mask situation? I know why he doesn't want to show me now, but his reasoning is flawed."

Megan took a deep breath as Pinecone came over to her. She started scratching her under her chin. "Well, nothing's really changed, except that you know his reason now. Whether it makes sense or not is irrelevant, they're still his reasons. Occam's Razor, remember? Give this to him, let him have it. It's the only thing between you guys right now, right? And is it really _that_ important? Christine, he loves you, and you love him, that should be the only thing that matters."

Christine looked unconvinced. "But what about trust? He obviously doesn't trust me to stay with him if I see his face."

Megan looked at her pointedly. "Bottom line: is this a deal breaker?"

Christine looked at her wryly. "No, of course not! I told you, I'll never leave him."

Megan's smile faded as she looked at her closely. "I'm not talking about you. Would this be a deal breaker for him?"


	23. Winning

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editor Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 23

Winning

Erik wasn't sure he even wanted to take Joanna sight-seeing this afternoon and wondered again how he'd gotten himself into this. He was far from being the social animal and much preferred the company of just a very few close friends. When he'd told Amir about it, he'd just grinned and patted him on the back and told him not to have too good a time. He'd been no help at all.

As Erik drove up the street in the rather monied neighborhood of Pacific Heights, he pulled up before a secured apartment building that had flowers and meticulously trimmed hedges lining the driveway. He parked the Range Rover on the street and walked into the building up to the guard behind the counter in the foyer. After he was rung in, he made his way to Joanna's apartment on the second floor. As he took the elevator and then walked down her hallway, he recalled when he lived alone in modest surroundings in Italy and how far he'd come since then to now live atop the San Francisco Philharmonic. He wondered if Joanna would one day find herself living in luxury as her career progressed, although she obviously already lived in relative comfort. It was one o'clock when he knocked lightly on her door, and Joanna opened it brightly, glad to see him.

"Hello! I hope you didn't have a hard time finding me," she beamed as she invited him in. "Was there going to be anyone else?" she asked, looking past him.

"No, she couldn't make it. It'll just be us." He noticed that Joanna was very nicely dressed in a mid-length corduroy dress with long sleeves, a light coat, a colorful scarf, and low-heeled boots, perfect for sightseeing. As he stepped into her apartment, he noticed that it was very nicely decorated. Ms. Koell and her family were obviously quite well to do. "Where did you wish to go sightseeing today?"

"I've really wanted to see Chinatown! It's famous and I wanted to send home some souvenirs."

Erik looked at her surprised. "Chinatown? I'm surprised you haven't already been there. It's usually everyone's first destination."

Joanna smiled, showing a row of perfect teeth. "Actually, my first stops were the Victorian homes on Alamo Square and the Art Deco Walking Tour. My father's an architect, so I'm a fan of great architecture."

Erik raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes, when I was growing up, my father would take us out on weekends and explain all about the beautiful buildings and bridges in the city, and that's how my brothers and I first learned about architecture." She grabbed her purse and they left the apartment as she locked her door.

It took them about fifteen minutes to drive from Pacific Heights to Chinatown, but Erik's mind wandered to thoughts of Christine, who'd be starting her shift at Madame Wu's in another couple hours. Perhaps he'd be able to introduce her to their new soprano. As he thought about her, he thought back to Sunday evening when he'd driven her home. They'd had another disagreement about the mask and Christine had cried over his refusal to remove it for her. He knew she'd never understand, but it seemed very important to her and it was causing her grief. He wondered if it was also causing her to have doubts now. He felt an ache in his heart just thinking about it. If only she could forget about it, then everything could be perfect again….

He decided to take Joanna to Fong's for an authentic Chinese lunch, and then they could walk the narrow streets of Chinatown and sight-see if the weather held up. Although it was overcast, it hadn't started raining yet. They arrived at about one-thirty and the lunch crowd had almost dispersed, so they sat across from one another in a comfortable booth in a quiet corner.

Joanna was thoroughly charmed by the restaurant and Chinese décor, and thought it rather interesting that the predominant Chinese color was red. As they looked over their menus, she realized that since everything was unfamiliar to her, her best bet would probably be to try Fong's sampler platter, for then she'd have a chance to try a number of different dishes. When their waiter asked if she would like a fork or chopsticks, she shyly requested both, figuring she could always fall back on her fork if learning to use chopsticks proved too daunting for her first time.

Erik was pleased that Joanna was adventurous enough to attempt chopsticks when most people were so intent on eating that they didn't care to take the time to learn, opting instead to shovel the food in with their fork. "What type of architecture did your father specialize in?" he asked, trying to make conversation.

"He worked for the government, so he mostly built office buildings, courthouses and that sort of thing. But I think he really wanted to design houses. He built our house in Vienna," she said proudly.

"Really? Can you describe it for me?" he asked, genuinely interested.

"It was beautiful and large, two stories. It had six bedrooms, four bathrooms, a patio, a large porch, and a beautiful garden in the backyard. We had two large dogs and a cat, and I have two older brothers."

"It sounds beautiful," he said sincerely. "Have you always wanted to be an opera singer?"

"Well, no," she grinned mischievously. "At first I wanted to be a rock star, and then I thought I'd be an architect like my father. But then decided on opera because I truly loved it. I can't imagine anything more exciting than singing the classics on stage."

"I believe you'll enjoy your year at the Phil because we've got a very fine cast and crew, and the management is very supportive. If there's ever anything you need help with, whether it has to do with finding housing, singing lessons, or anything else, there'll always be someone available to assist you."

"I truly appreciate that, especially being so far from home. And I want to thank you for agreeing to show me around today, I know you're very busy," she smiled sincerely.

"It's my pleasure." Erik noticed that Joanna looked down occasionally as though shy. This seemed rather incongruous considering the manner in which she'd arranged for him to take her sight-seeing. In his experience, the beautiful women at the Phil more often than not used their beauty to try to get ahead, but Joanna seemed different. He thought it might be due to her youth, that perhaps she hadn't had time to become jaded yet.

Joanna took a sip of her water. "When I first found out I'd been hired, I did a lot of research on the Philharmonic and became quite a fan of your music. I just love your style with soundtracks, but I especially love your operas. You have a very unique style and I've even tried singing some of your pieces. They're quite difficult, but so beautiful!"

Erik smiled at her compliments. "Thank you. I don't know if you'll have a chance to sing any of them your first year here. Because of their difficulty, they're usually given to the veterans, like Victoria Rinaldi."

Joanna's smile faltered slightly at the mention of that name. "Yes, her voice is beautiful, but is it possible for a voice to become too practiced?"

"What do you mean?" Erik wondered if she would say something disparaging about her as most of the other sopranos did.

"Well, I think Victoria is beautiful and one of the best singers we have, but, it's just that…"

Erik wondered what was on her mind. "I don't think you'll say anything I haven't already heard," he smiled genially, hoping to maker her feel more at ease.

Joanna looked up and smiled, though she still seemed somewhat uncertain. "I think she's good, but her voice isn't sincere. She sings the words and tries to feel them, but when she sings, it's all about _her_, not the character."

Erik looked at her, shocked. In truth, no one had _ever_ said that Victoria's voice lacked sincerity. If anything, it was often said that she consistently sang over the top.

Mistaking Erik's shock for disapproval, Joanna quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, please forget I said it! I've only been here two weeks and I shouldn't have said anything about it. She's the prima donna and I could probably learn a lot from her."

Erik could have laughed aloud at this. He doubted anyone could learn much if anything from the house prima donna, so careful was she about jealously guarding her so-called secrets. He chuckled quietly as Joanna looked at him, and his smile confirmed that he was amused by her comment and not offended by it, which allowed her to relax again.

When their food was brought to them, Joanna immediately took her chopsticks in hand and eagerly attempted to pick up some fried rice, Erik trying to coach her from across the table, but when that didn't work, he came over and sat next to her, placing his hand over hers and trying to get some rice into her mouth. They were almost successful, when, at the last moment, it dropped unceremoniously into her lap and they both laughed loudly, trying their best to stifle their outburst so they wouldn't be thrown out. Finally, Erik took up his chopsticks and lifted a helping of rice to her mouth so she'd finally have eaten something after five minutes. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather use your fork?" he asked, still chuckling. "Otherwise, you may go away hungry."

"If I'm having this much fun with my tour guide, I'm not sure I want to," she laughed.

Erik wondered about her comment, but figured she'd merely said it in the spirit of the moment. He was having fun, which he hadn't expected, and as they tried the various dishes, Erik was pleased to see that Joanna had finally gotten the hang of using the chopsticks enough to have an adequate lunch, which she enjoyed tremendously. When they'd finished their meal, the waiter brought them their check with a couple fortune cookies.

"There's a restaurant in town where the fortunes are never wrong," Erik offered.

"Seriously?" Joanna's eyes widened. "Have your fortunes come true from there?"

"Actually they have." Erik's thoughts immediately turned to Christine. _You will find what you seek above all else. _He'd found his love, and Christine loved him back, but now he wondered if they would even have a future together considering how she felt about him removing his mask. He again felt his heart tighten as he thought about their parting Sunday night. He was beginning to think Amir was right…those fortune cookies were accurate, but perhaps they were cursed, like a monkey's paw. "But you wouldn't want them, they taste terrible," he said uneasily.

As he paid their bill, they rose and made their way out to the sidewalk. It was about three in the afternoon and it had begun drizzling, but Joanna was eager to purchase souvenirs for her family, so Erik guided them in the direction of the Chinatown Gate, which was considered the gateway to old town Chinatown. On their way, they passed directly in front of Madame Wu's Antique Shop.

"Oh, Erik, let's stop in here!" Joanna grasped his arm and led him through the door as the door chimes signaled their arrival. She was immediately captivated by the displays of porcelain, statuary, and jewelry and smiled broadly at seeing so many beautiful items.

Christine turned when she heard the chimes and was surprised to see a gorgeous blonde pulling Erik into the store by the arm. She recognized the woman from the Phil. _So this is their new soprano. Hmm…not quite proper behavior for a new employee, is it? _

Christine walked over to them and smiled warmly. "Good afternoon, may I help you find something?"

Erik was pleased to see her and stepped forward to kiss her gently on the cheek. "Hello, cheri, I didn't know we'd be in Chinatown today, but I'd like to introduce you to our new soprano. Ms. Joanna Koell, this is my love, Ms. Christine Karlsson."

Christine was shocked, but delighted. This was the first time Erik had publicly acknowledged that they were a couple, and she was pleased by how easily it rolled off his tongue.

Christine shook Joanna's hand warmly. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Joanna. I hope you're enjoying San Francisco."

"Very much," she smiled brightly. "Erik has been kind enough to show me around Chinatown, and he even taught me to eat with chopsticks today. Now I'm looking for souvenirs to send home to my family in Vienna."

"If you're looking for souvenirs to send home, our antique music boxes are quite popular, as well as these trinkets for children." Christine proceeded to show her their collection of music boxes and children's toys as Erik went to explore the other areas of the store. As Joanna looked over their wares, Christine walked over to Erik several aisles over.

"She's very beautiful," she said quietly as she came up and stood next to Erik as he looked over their statuary.

"Yes, and quite talented, but she's neither as beautiful nor as talented as you, my love," he winked slyly.

Christine smiled and Erik leaned over to subtly give her a kiss. _No one could ever be as beautiful to me as you are, my love _he thought as he kissed her. Even that small contact with her warmed his heart. It had been worth it to come here, even for this brief moment.

Christine returned to the counter as Erik returned to Joanna who was now examining several colorful trinkets. She held up a small wooden toy with fluffy pink feathers and seemed enchanted by it. "My niece would love this!" she said as she tickled her face with the feathered tip, and then turned toward Erik. He expected her to show it to him, but instead, Joanna surprised him by playfully tickling his face with it as well. "Isn't it just precious?" she continued happily.

Christine looked up just as Joanna raised the feather to Erik's face and felt a sudden stab of jealousy when she saw Erik smile at this. Joanna looked over a number of other trinkets and kept up a running commentary of which relative would get what as Erik distractedly looked at some porcelain.

Joanna eventually purchased three music boxes and a number of children's toys, and as they prepared to take their leave, Erik gave Christine a parting kiss and whispered to her, "I'll see you later."

Christine watched them leave and head in the direction of The Gate. _I hope it rains _she thought with some satisfaction. She was glad that Erik had asked her to join them and then came in to introduce her to Joanna, but she wondered why he had to take Joanna sight-seeing in the first place. She'd always had the impression that Erik's position gave him autonomy to do as he pleased, so why would he have to take her anywhere? As she pondered this silently, another voice seemed to grow steadily louder. _Occam's Razor, Christine! Duh! Joanna's beautiful, she's sweet and friendly, and she's not pressuring Erik to take his mask off. That's more than you can say, isn't it? _

Erik and Joanna reached the Chinatown Gate after a few minutes and walked several short blocks in and around the neighborhood, finding and discovering a myriad of unusual shops, restaurants and temples. It had been awhile since Erik had visited old town Chinatown, but he remembered his way around and Joanna purchased a number of additional souvenirs for her family. By the time they finished in the late afternoon, Joanna was exhausted and it had finally started to rain, so they decided to call it a day and head home. As Erik drove her back to Pacific Heights, she dozed during their fifteen-minute ride and he became aware of her perfume which had become noticeable with her body heat and from the dampness of her clothes. It was an intoxicating fragrance, and he found he liked it very much. When they arrived at her building, Erik gently shook her awake and helped her carry her purchases up to her apartment.

After they'd deposited everything on her couch, Erik turned to leave.

"Erik, wait." Joanna approached him with a gift wrapped package in her hands and shyly held it out to him. "I got this for you to thank you for today…I had a wonderful time."

Erik looked at it with surprise. "Thank you, but this wasn't necessary."

"I know," she smiled. She handed it to him and then gave him a friendly hug and a kiss on his uncovered cheek. "Thank you, Erik."

He smiled as he accepted her gift. "You're welcome. Get some rest, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight!" Joanna gently closed the door behind him.

Erik drove home and carried Joanna's package to his bedroom and set it on a chair. He got undressed and donned a light robe. He wanted to take a nap for a few hours, and then he'd get up and see Christine at the store before closing.

* * *

It was about 7:45 when Erik awoke to Anubis meowing for her dinner. When he glanced at the clock and saw the time, he quickly prepared a can of cat food for her before getting cleaned up and dressed. 

He drove out to Chinatown and arrived across the street from Madame Wu's a little after eight. He glanced in the store window from his car and could see Christine at the counter, but she wasn't alone. Roan Richards was there again, at the counter talking with her, and apparently helping her dust off some new inventory. He decided to wait a few minutes, and if Roan didn't leave, he would walk in anyways.

"So what do you like to do on the weekends?" Roan asked as he dusted off a teacup.

"I usually spend time with either Erik or Megan. What do you like to do?" She unpacked a few more items from a box.

"I like to travel, sight-see, I hang out with Rick sometimes, and sometimes I visit my family in Pacific Heights. What do you and Erik like to do?"

"We like to go out to eat and watch movies. How'd you like Paladin's?"

"I love their downstairs club. My family have been members since the place opened."

Christine picked up a teacup at the same time Roan reached it. His fingers lay atop hers as he tried to take it. "That's okay, I've got it." He gently tried to wrest it from her.

"No, I'll do it," she said as she pulled it back.

Roan gently grasped her wrist with his other hand and looked deeply into her eyes. "No, I'll do it," he said softly.

For some reason, his voice suddenly captured her attention. As she looked at him, she noticed for the first time just how perfect his face was…flawless and handsome…it was perfect. She released the teacup as she continued to gaze at him and she suddenly saw Erik's face in her minds eye…Erik with the mask he would never remove…the one they argue over…. The vision quickly faded until she was looking into Roan's deep blue eyes again.

"Are you all right?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," she said slowly, trying to snap out of her trance.

Roan raised his hand and gently stroked her face with the back of his fingers when the door chimes sounded, causing them both to automatically look towards the door. They saw Erik walk in. Roan put the teacup on the counter and muttered softly, "I'd better go, I'll see you later," and he walked towards the exit.

As he walked past Erik, Roan nodded and gave a small smile. Erik merely stood his ground and nodded, his eyes as cold as two ice crystals. He watched him walk down the street before turning to approach the counter. Christine was finishing up her paperwork and smiled genuinely as he approached.

"Hi, baby, I'm really glad to see you…did you have a good time sightseeing with Joanna today?"

Erik leaned over the counter and kissed her on the lips, still thinking about what he'd seen as he'd entered the store. "It was fine, we had a good time. That's one woman who can shop."

Christine snorted. "I'm all done here, let's go upstairs." She turned off the lights and locked up the front door as they made their way up to her apartment.

As they walked into the apartment, Pinecone came out meowing. Erik picked her up and scratched her under the neck. He placed her back on the floor and went to sit in the living room as Christine opened a can of cat food for her. When she was done she came over to sit by him.

"How is Mr. Richards doing this evening?" Erik asked flatly.

"Mr. Richards is fine. How is Mr. Dupont?"

"He was fine until he saw Mr. Richards." Erik looked annoyed.

Christine gently ran her finger along his jaw. "Well, I happen to know that Ms. Karlsson couldn't wait to see Mr. Dupont today after seeing him running around with Ms. Koell."

Erik raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean to say that Ms. Karlsson was jealous?"

"Let's just say that Ms. Karlsson does not favor Mr. Dupont keeping company with women other than herself."

Erik raised a hand to run his fingers through her hair and smiled gently. "Mr. Dupont would like to make love to Ms. Karlsson so he can show her just how much he loves her," he murmured, and he kissed her deeply.

"Ms. Karlsson can hardly wait," she smiled as she rose and led him back to her bedroom.

_

* * *

Thursday evening _

Erik blended the ingredients to yet another margarita recipe. "We should double date again, that was fun. Where'd you happen to learn that particular dance move?"

Amir looked up from the canapés. "As I recall, I once saw a similar move made by a certain masked man back in Persia," he smiled. "I believe it was during a summer solstice festival."

Erik snorted. "It was just a little something that seemed fitting at the time under the circumstances." The 'circumstances' having involved the Khanum. "Despite all her faults, she loved to dance," he smirked. _She not only loved to dance, but she taught me much in the ways of alternative love-making. I must say, not only was she very beautiful, but she was also very kinky for being first wife to the king. _

"So how was the sight-seeing?"

"Not bad, I had a better time than I thought I would. She wanted to see Chinatown, so I was able to introduced her to Christine." Erik got down some sleek margarita glasses.

"Oh? And how did that go?"

"Fine, I went to see Christine later last night."

"So what made you decide to take Joanna sight-seeing?"

"I didn't, she IM'd me. She can be quite bold when she wants to be." Erik gracefully poured the margarita into the glasses.

"Sounds to me like she's got something on her mind." Amir arranged the canapés attractively on a platter.

"Oh? Like what?" Erik set the glasses on a beautiful serving tray.

"Well, like getting your attention."

"And why would she do that? I introduced Christine to her as my love."

"In my experience, when dealing with a determined woman, that makes no difference. Is Christine still trying to remove your mask?" They moved everything into the living room and sat by the fireplace where the chessboard was already set up.

"Yes."

"What are you going to do?"

Erik sighed. "I don't know. She stops for a few days and then brings it up again."

Amir took a sip of his margarita. "This is pretty good."

"Thanks, I found it in Bon Appetit. It's called 'Tia Rita's.' They got it from a restaurant in Los Angeles."

"Tia Rita's Margarita?" Amir seemed momentarily lost in the phraseology.

"So what do you think I should do?

"I think you should save the recipe and make it again for a special occasion."

"I'm talking about Christine, clown."

"I think you should consider taking it off, the mask, that is. Trust her."

"You mean like I trusted Sarah? No. Would you want someone who looked like this?" He gestured to his mask before moving his first chess piece.

Amir countered by moving his pawn. "If I loved her, it wouldn't matter what she looked like," he said as he gazed at him steadily. "It's obvious Sarah didn't love you as much as she said she did."

"Perhaps Christine doesn't either," Erik murmured quietly, remembering again the moment he'd walked in on Christine and Roan

"But perhaps she does. But you'll never know if you don't take a chance. For what you'd get in return, wouldn't it be worth it?"

Erik sipped his margarita and seemed to be contemplating it. "You're right, this margarita isn't bad." He paused and moved a chess piece before speaking. "It's worth it only if you win, my friend."

Amir paused to look at him. "But that's the question, isn't it? Can you win if you don't take it off?"


	24. The Night of Masks

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editor Penmora Zenith. Her insight and assistance were invaluable. And a heartfelt welcome back to story editor Musicallover!

Chapter 24

The Night of Masks

_Friday _

Christine had just arrived for her shift at Madame Wu's when her cell phone went off, and fishing it out of her purse, she flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"My love." His voice was a husky whisper.

"Erik, is that you?"

"I love you, Christine."

"I love you, too. Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," he whispered roughly. "I miss you."

"Come by and see me tonight after work."

"All right, cherie. I have something for you."

"You do? Is it a surprise?" she smiled.

"Yes, a surprise. I'll see you after work. Bye."

"Bye."

Christine thought Erik sounded strange and she wondered if he really was all right. She hung up and was about to place the phone back in her bag when she decided to call him back. She dialed the last number received and it rang a few times before it was answered.

"Hello?"

"Erik? It's me."

"Christine?"

"I just wanted to tell you I love you, baby, I love you more than you know. I can't wait to see you tonight."

"Me, too."

"Bye."

"Bye."

* * *

Christine was straightening the stock on the shelves when she looked at the clock and saw that it was a little after eight. She wondered if Erik would be arriving soon when she heard the door chime and she anxiously looked toward the sound, but was disappointed when she saw that it wasn't Erik, but Roan. 

He walked up to her cheerfully with a smile that showed wall-to-wall teeth. "Good evening, Christine! How's my favorite purveyor of antiques?"

"Roan, what are you doing out this way on a Friday night? Don't you have a hot date or something?" Christine smiled back.

"I'm on it," he grinned.

"Excuse me?"

"Just kidding. What's new?"

Christine wondered what was going on with him. He'd been visiting her at the store several nights a week for the last couple weeks, yet he knew she was dating Erik. "Roan, why do you visit me so much? I'm sure you must have a life," she said with a chuckle.

Because the store was lit from the interior, Christine couldn't see anything outside once it became dark, so again, Erik sat across the street in his car waiting for Roan to take his leave. _The boy is a pest. Doesn't he have a home to go to?_

"Actually, I enjoy visiting with you, and I like the conversations we have. You know, it's not everyone you can enjoy talking to all the time."

Christine thought that was rather strange coming from someone as handsome and as well-bred as Roan. She imagined him having a number of friends from among the wealthy in San Francisco…but what did she know, perhaps he did just like her company.

"Well, I appreciate you coming to visit, but I'm going to be closing up soon and I'm expecting Erik to stop by sometime this evening, so I just wanted to finish putting out this china."

"Oh, well, I guess I'd better be on my way then."

Christine looked up then to say goodbye when Roan stepped forward and she suddenly found his lips pressed firmly against hers in a heart rending kiss. Christine was shocked and for a moment couldn't move until she came to her senses and quickly pulled away. She took a couple of steps back to put some space between them when Roan suddenly grabbed her wrist so she couldn't go any further. She looked at him holding her wrist and then looked up, confused by what he was doing.

Roan looked at her evenly, his handsome face perfectly composed. "I'll see you later, Christine." He released her and then walked out the door, the chimes signaling his departure.

Erik had seen the entire exchange, had seen Roan kiss Christine, and he'd seen her freeze before she'd pulled away. After Roan had left, Christine had stood there for awhile, as if shocked by his actions, and was no doubt going over what had just happened. Erik was enraged, but he'd wanted to see what Christine would do, and he did see. She'd looked at Roan after he'd kissed her and stood there frozen, and it had been awhile after he left before she moved to continue closing the store. _So this puppy now declares himself to be my rival for her affections. Very well…_

* * *

As he drove back home in the direction of the Music Center, Roan smiled in satisfaction at a job well done. Everything had gone exactly as planned. He was going to see Christine at the store at any rate tonight, but when he saw Erik parked across the street, he knew exactly what to do. He'd been waiting for an opportunity to show Christine how he really felt about her, but it wouldn't have done any good since she and Erik Dupont were still dating. He'd wondered since the Bal Masque if there was anything he could do to upset the balance, and tonight had presented the perfect opportunity. 

He knew Erik would be watching to see what happened. When he kissed Christine, he knew she'd be shocked and would take awhile to react. He hoped to plant a seed of doubt in Erik's mind on top of the insecurity he must already feel from having to wear a mask.

Each time he'd visited with Christine, he'd become more and more convinced that he wanted her for himself. She was truly everything Rick had said she was. She was beautiful, but her true beauty was from within. Unlike the women he'd known all his life, Christine was genuinely sweet and kind, unassuming, and guileless. She was truly an angel, but also talented and smart. She was everything he'd ever wanted in a woman, and he knew he wouldn't rest until she was his.

_We're all pawns _he thought. _Erik may be the king, but it won't be long before I take his queen, and then the board will be mine. _

* * *

Christine closed up the store and then made her way up to her apartment. She knew Erik would be there soon. As she changed her clothes and fed Pinecone, she thought about Roan and his kiss. _He knows I'm dating Erik. How could be just kiss me like that? Did he think I was going to start falling for him instead? What a weird guy._

Christine changed into something casual, and by the time she returned to the living room, heard a light knock on the door. She smiled to herself as she went to answer it, and when she opened the door, grinned broadly because Erik looked so wonderful.

"Hi, baby, I'm so glad to see you!" she beamed as she threw her arms around him and kissed him.

"Christine…" He kissed her deeply, so glad to see her, and glad for this warm welcome. Roan could go to hell.

When Erik stepped into the apartment, Christine quickly got him something to drink before they settled down on the living room couch. Pinecone hopped up on the couch to join them, but Christine pushed her away. "Sorry, Pinecone, not this time," she muttered as she turned her attention back to Erik.

"I told you I brought something for you," he began. "I brought you my heart, all of it, nothing's been left behind."

"Oh really?" she smiled playfully. "Let's see…." And she began unbuttoning his shirt and kissing his chest as she went. "Let me see this heart of gold…"

Erik chuckled, pleased by her amorous display. "Tonight my angel is a vixen…what has happened to her?"

"Nothing's happened, baby," she purred. "I love you, that's what's happened," she smiled. She was happy that he was here. It was a weekend, and that meant they had two days together.

"Here, my love, besides my heart, I also brought you this." Erik reached over and grabbed a bag he'd set beside the couch. He took out what was inside, and it was a beautifully gift-wrapped package.

"Oh, Erik! What did you do this time?" she asked as she looked at the beautiful wrapping. She wondered what it could be because it was as large as two shoe boxes yet was fairly light. She took the ribbon off of it and then removed the colorful paper. When she opened the box, whatever it was was wrapped in tissue paper, which she now removed. When she saw what it was, she gasped as she carefully lifted it out.

"Oh my god." It was the most beautiful mask she'd ever seen.

"It's from Italy, mon amour. You can wear it to the next Bal Masque if you like."

"I've never seen anything so beautiful," she said in awe. "I love it…thank you," and she kissed him gently. The mask was black and encrusted with beads, jewels, feathers, and gold cording. Christine was sure it would be the most beautiful mask at the next Bal.

"Are you hungry, my dear? We can walk over to Fong's for something."

"I'd love to," she smiled. Christine was actually starving since she hadn't eaten since she'd started her shift that afternoon, so she was thankful that Erik had offered.

They walked from her apartment to Fong's arm-in-arm, and Erik thought how natural this all felt, walking down the street with the woman he loved. When they reached Fong's, he opened the door for her, and Evan Fong was there to greet them.

"Erik!" he exclaimed happily, and he wrapped him in a tight bear hug.

"Evan, good to see you again," Erik grinned broadly.

Evan then turned to Christine and extended his hand. "Pleased to see you again, Ms. Karlsson," he smiled warmly.

"Please call me Christine. It's good to see you again, too," she smiled as she shook his hand.

He led them to the 'best seat in the house' and took their orders. Christine loved coming here, and she loved that Erik knew Madame Wu's family so well. As they sat side by side, she turned to Erik and he kissed her sweetly. She sat on Erik's right, next to the wall, and she noticed it immediately.

When she'd turn to look at him, she'd look at his mask. When she'd kiss him, her face would touch his mask first. As they conversed while waiting to be served, she kept thinking about this because she would only see his mask. She was glad when their food was finally brought to them so she could be distracted.

"Are you all right, cheri?" Erik asked finally.

Christine looked up guiltily. "Yes, of course, I was starving! This is so good…" Her mind started to wander and she was no longer listening to what Erik was saying, instead wondering what Megan was doing this evening.

"…and then snapped his neck and encased him in concrete. Wasn't that brilliant?" Erik asked.

Christine absently nodded her head and smiled. "Yes, that's great!"

When Erik didn't respond and had stopped what he was doing, she looked over at him. "What?"

"You want to tell me what's wrong, my love?" Erik's voice was serious.

She looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"You haven't been listening to anything I've said, and you haven't looked at me. What's wrong?"

Christine looked away momentarily, at a loss for what to say. "I'm sorry…I guess I'm just tired."

"Tired? Then when we finish, we should just go home and go straight to bed."

"Yes, I think that'd be a good idea," she said, relieved.

They ate the rest of their meal in silence. When they'd finished, Erik paid their bill and they walked back to her apartment, but he noticed that Christine didn't attempt to hold his hand or put her arm through his this time.

When they walked into the apartment, Christine locked the door behind them and walked to her bedroom and Erik followed. He leaned against the bedroom doorframe and watched her as Christine turned down the bed and began to undress. She was down to her underwear by the time she noticed that Erik wasn't also undressing.

"Aren't you coming to bed?" she asked.

Erik silently stared at her from the doorway, wishing he could just hold her. "Christine, please tell me what's wrong."

She stood there looking at him and then looked away.

"It's my mask, isn't it?" he asked without emotion.

She looked down and nodded slowly.

Erik closed his eyes and sighed deeply. _Damn it all to hell… _

Christine didn't know what to say. It'd be one thing if she knew what was under the mask and could understand why he kept it on, but it was another to not know and just have to accept the mask at face value. She needed to know what lay beneath it.

Erik bowed his head and slowly nodded. He should have known it'd come down to this someday. He'd been fooling himself. He looked up at Christine and shook his head. "Why? Why must you see it, Christine? You have _me, _is that not enough?" He turned to leave. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

"No, wait!" Christine hurried over to him. "Erik, don't go…please, stay."

Erik turned back to her and silently regarded her. "Why, my love? Do you wish another fantasy? All right then, but tonight we will both wear masks. Here, let me get it for you."

Erik left the room and shortly returned with her mask in his hand. "Here, my love, put it on and let's see how you look."

Christine took it from him and stood before her dresser mirror as she put on the mask. It looked wonderful on her, and she thought they both looked like characters out of a dark opera, which she thought was rather exciting.

"You look lovely, mon amour," he murmured as he came behind her and nuzzled her behind the ear. He began to trail burning kisses down her neck and over her shoulders, and he then unhooked her bra and slipped it from her. It dropped to the floor, and he turned her around and placed his hands on either side of her hips so he could remove her panties. He kneeled before her and pulled them off smoothly down to her ankles. He cupped her buttocks with each hand as he pushed her toward him and he brought his lips to her sensitive pink nub and began teasing and licking it, all the while squeezing and kneading her cheeks. Christine closed her eyes and leaned her head back and gasped, so delicious was the tingling that was growing stronger. She ran her fingers through his hair and pushed his head even closer to her as the feelings increased. She finally exploded in a sublimely intense orgasm as her hips spasmed repeatedly and she cried out, practically screaming until the waves at last subsided.

Erik took her hands as he stood, and he stepped back a few feet so he could remove his clothing. His eyes remained on her as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it from his trousers and let it drop. He unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants, allowing them to fall to the floor with his briefs. He kicked them aside along with his shoes until he stood before her naked, myriad thoughts going through his mind. _You want me, Christine, but you don't understand that you would never want this demon if you knew. You already have all of me, yet it is not enough for you. Perhaps the demon is what you truly desire… _

He approached her slowly and Christine wondered what he intended to do. Her question was quickly answered when he slowly took her face in his hands and began kissing her roughly, almost painfully. She stepped back from his rough handling as he ravished her mouth until the bed was directly behind her and she fell backwards onto it. _What is he doing?_

He approached her as she lay on her back, and she saw in his eyes a leer that she'd never seen before and that made her want to cover herself. His eyes slowly traveled down the length her body, stopping at her breasts, her crotch, her legs, and then back up again. _What's wrong with him? What does he think he's doing? _He now loomed menacingly above her and she fearfully began to back up on the bed. His hair was disheveled and hung down loosely on both sides of his face. Christine fleetingly thought that he looked like beautiful Hades about to ravish Persephone. With an evil smirk and a menacing gleam in his eye, he whispered harshly, "I have given you all that I am, Christine, but this mask is _MINE!_ If it is a demon my lady wishes, then a demon you shall have!"

Christine cried out when he swiftly descended upon her and began to bite and suck the skin on her neck, chest, and breasts. This was not the gentle lover of the past several weeks, but a ravenous fiend who was now sucking and biting painfully, whose only wish was to possess her and claim conquest of her entire body.

"Erik, stop! What are you doing! You're hurting me!" Christine couldn't believe the amorous frenzy that now possessed him and frantically tried to escape his advances.

"No, no, my love, not until I've fucked you to my heart's content. Open your legs for me, my philandering slut!" he mocked as he pinned her to the bed and placed himself between her legs. He couldn't get the picture out of his mind…his Christine and Roan.

Christine was shocked by his uncharacteristic crudeness, but then found herself incredibly excited by it! "Erik! What are you saying? I've never been unfaithful to you, I've never…."

He brought his face close to her ear as he nuzzled her and murmured roughly, "You say too much, my sweet. I know what you really want, there are no words necessary."

He grabbed her roughly and turned her around so that she was now facedown on the bed. He spread her cheeks with his hands, and then callously plunged his rigid shaft deep into her, causing her to gasp, and pounded into her again and again, his body hot and sweating.

He brought his face close to her ear and he whispered, "Yes, that's it, my saucy wench. You want this, don't you? I know you so well, Christine, I know you want me to fill you with my seed and fuck you like you've never been before, don't you? I'll bet that boy with water in his veins never took you like this, did he? _Answer me!" _he growled as he roughly grabbed a handful of her hair.

"No," she whispered hoarsely. She couldn't believe this new side of Erik nor how incredibly turned on she was by his actions.

"What was that, Christine, I can't hear you! No _what?"_ He pulled her hair tighter.

"No, he never fucked me like this!" she said louder. She felt her crotch start to tingle.

Erik held her tightly as he lay atop her, still pumping into her rhythmically. "Tell me what you want me to do, my love. _Tell me!"_

"I want you to fuck me and spill your seed into me!" she said breathlessly.

"Now tell me _why_, my diamond diva!"

Christine couldn't believe this. He was talking to her as though she were property, yet she was so turned on by everything he was doing. "Because…"

_"Why!" _he spat as he pulled her hair taut.

Christine was about to come. _"…Because I love you!"_ As soon as the words were out of her mouth she exploded in the most violent ecstasy and screamed, "_ERIK!"_

He pounded his flesh into her rapidly up to the hilt, colliding with her buttocks with each thrust so forceful that she was certain she was being bruised, and then she heard him speak raggedly next to her ear, _"You are mine, Christine, and I will be the last man who ever claims your body!"_ And then she felt him begin to shudder, and grabbing her hips, he viciously thrust himself into her further until he cried, "_CHRISTINE!" _And when he had shuddered his last and emptied himself into her, he fell onto the bed beside her, breathing heavily.

Christine felt as though she'd been ravaged and was certain there would be bite marks and bruises everywhere, but she felt wonderful for she had been loved in the extreme. She was exhausted, and as she slipped into a deep and satisfying sleep, could have sworn she heard Erik whisper to her, "I love you, Christine, more than you know…."

Erik lay awake for awhile, breathing deeply, calming down. He thought about their last several weeks together. His time with Christine had been the most precious of his life, and he loved her more than he could express. Were they nearing their end? This thought was like a knife to his heart, and the pain reached into every part of his being.

_What did you expect? _his conscience mocked. _Did you really expect she would be any different? Did you really think there was anyone in this world that could accept you with your mask? Fool. _

Erik glanced over at Christine sleeping fitfully beside him and who still looked beautiful in her mask. _Oh Christine, if only you could accept me as I am…_

He was soon asleep, and with sleep came the nightmares.

* * *

It was three in the morning when Erik awoke suddenly, which wasn't unusual since he often woke in the middle of the night when inspiration struck. But tonight, it wasn't inspiration, but a terrifying nightmare he'd succeeded in escaping. It was the moment of truth when he'd finally removed his mask at Christine's insistence, and she'd momentarily stared in disbelief before she'd screamed, and then began screaming hysterically at the sight of his face… 

He'd jerked awake and he felt Christine beside him, sleeping peacefully and breathing softly. He rested his head against her momentarily, feeling her warmth, and smelling the sweet scent that was Christine. It occurred to him that he would recognize her scent anywhere, and then he remembered the night before. He sighed deeply, remembering the words, the feelings, and the hurt. Where to go from here? She'd wanted him to stay with her last night, so he had, but so hurt and angry was he by her initial rejection that he'd made love to her desperately, almost raping her. He hadn't struck her, but knew he'd hurt her while making love to her. He hadn't meant to for he'd just wanted to take her, and so he had. It seemed she'd even enjoyed it, but how could she have?

He wracked his brain trying to imagine a conversation for when they awoke that would negate last night, but he couldn't think of a thing, for nothing would change the fact that she was bothered by the mask, or the fact that he wouldn't remove it. What more was there to say? Perhaps nothing.

He got out of bed and quietly got dressed. He considered leaving a note, but again, after last night, couldn't think of anything more to say. He looked down at Christine as she slept, and then knelt down to look at her face. _I love you more than life _he thought. He locked the door behind him as he left.

* * *

Christine awoke slowly. She knew it was Saturday and that it was after nine in the morning. She smiled inwardly as she thought about spending the weekend with Erik, but then remembered the night before. Erik had made love to her fiercely, and she recalled that it had to do with his mask. She didn't feel Erik next to her, so she turned over slowly. He wasn't there, the bed was cold, and she couldn't hear him in the kitchen. He was gone. She sat up and looked around, hoping to spy a note or gift or something of him, but there was nothing this time. 

She was disappointed, but she didn't know what to make of last night. She remembered her reaction to his mask at the restaurant. Why hadn't that ever bothered her before? How did she feel about him now? Did this change anything? She still loved him, she knew this, but she also knew that despite everything Megan had said, she still needed to know what was under the mask. This is how she'd always felt, that hadn't changed, but neither had her feelings about Erik. She would never leave him, no matter what lay under the mask.

She got up and slowly got dressed. She hoped she'd hear from him later, but knew she wouldn't, in which case this would be the first weekend in over a month that she'd spend alone. Her first weekend without Erik.

Christine walked into the kitchen and Pinecone was there waiting for her. She knelt and scratched her neck and picked her up. "I guess it's just you and me today, baby," she said sadly. Pinecone meowed softly as if in sympathy, and Christine smiled at her even as her eyes filled. Her heart felt like it was breaking.


	25. Patience

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: A sincere thank you to my reviewers for reviewing. To my great story editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover, you're an endless source of ideas and encouragement, and I love you both. And a special thank you to my friend Pertie.

Chapter 25

Patience

Christine was closing the windows to her apartment when she had finished cleaning the last window. Pinecone lay on one of the windowsills as Christine gathered the last of her supplies and looked at her wryly.

"I should've asked _you_ to pick up a bucket and do some work around here, lazy," she said. Christine had been busy since morning cleaning the apartment top to bottom. She'd mopped, vacuumed, dusted, cleaned the bathroom, kitchen, and closets, and had just finished doing the windows. If tomorrow, Sunday, was going to be as uneventful as today had been, she was determined to wash the walls next. She hadn't wanted to mope around today thinking about Erik or waiting for him to call, so she'd made constructive use of her time by thoroughly cleaning house. For once she didn't even feel like calling Megan.

Since she'd skipped breakfast and lunch, she was hungry and decided to go out and grab some fast food to bring home. Due to the events that occurred last night after eating at Fong's, she walked past it and went instead to Burrito Express a few doors down.

"Buenos noches, Senorita Karlsson!" the plump owner beamed at her. "Long time no see!"

"Hi, Mrs. Garcia," Christine smiled. "I've been pretty busy with school, but it's always nice to come here." Christine loved the Garcia family for they'd been so welcoming when she'd first moved into the neighborhood and hadn't known anyone. "Could I have a couple tacos and a vegetarian burrito, please?"

"Coming right up!" Mrs. Garcia smiled. "Alejandro! Dos tacos y un burrito vegetariano!" she called to her son in the back.

Christine loved the atmosphere in the little diner for there were no false pretenses here. After a few minutes, a very handsome Hispanic man came out with her order in a paper bag.

"Hi, Christine, good to see you again," he grinned.

"Hi, Alex, I see they've got you working the diner again. How was law school?"

"About what you'd expect, but I'm working in the DA's office now. You'll be graduating soon, won't you?"

"Yeah, in just a few more months, and then I'll try to get hired over at the Phil. Well, take care," she smiled as she waved goodbye.

"Don't be a stranger," he winked.

As Christine walked out the door, she could hear Mrs. Garcia chastising her son. "Alejandro! Why don't you ask her out? She's a nice girl!"

And she could hear Alex call from their kitchen, "I would, but she's already got a boyfriend…!"

Christine grinned. Alex had been the one to help her move her furniture in when she'd first moved into her apartment, and they'd gotten together a few times, but it'd never gone any farther than that. He was extremely handsome and was a few years older, but he hadn't seemed interested in developing their relationship any further. She'd wondered about that for a time until she happened up on him and his boyfriend one night saying goodnight around the corner from the restaurant. Christine had been shocked, but could see immediately that Alex was indeed very passionate, just not with women. _Shit!_ she remembered thinking, but he and his family had been wonderful to her over the years.

As she trudged up the stairs and walked into her apartment, she noticed that Pinecone had planted herself before the door and meowed as if awaiting her return.

"What's up, crazy cat?" she asked as she brought down a plate from the cabinet. She set a place for herself at the table and put on some music. "Did you miss me, baby?" Christine refilled her water bowl and opened a can of cat food and Pinecone was now in her world.

Christine turned on her laptop and checked her mail as she ate. _Junk, junk, spam, junk…what's this? _

She'd received an email from a SeraphM, and the subject line said _Let's go to the movies!_

_Yeah, right. _Since she didn't know SeraphM and wasn't eager to get another computer virus, she deleted the email without reading it. She wondered if Erik was online. She was sorely tempted to IM him, but since he'd been the one to leave this morning without leaving any word, she decided against it. _This is ridiculous _she thought. _He's the love of my life and I still have to play these games. _And then she thought about his mask. _If I'm willing to stay with him mask or no mask, then why do I need to see his face? _She scowled as she pondered this, and then realized she really had no good answer for it. _Do I really need to see it?...Occam's Razor…. What was Megan trying to tell me?_

Just then, the instant message tone sounded from her computer and a window popped up.

SeraphM: Good evening, Christine.

Christine was shocked. _SeraphM! _

AriaMaven: Who is this?

SeraphM: A secret admirer, but not so secret.

Christine grinned. It had to be Erik!

AriaMaven: Erik! Is that you?

SeraphM: One down, two to go.

Christine's smile faded. It wasn't Erik? It was a moment before she responded.

AriaMaven: If it's not Erik, who is this?

SeraphM: Sorry, no clues. You should be able to figure this out.

AriaMaven: Rick?

SeraphM: Third time's the charm.

Christine wasn't sure she appreciated this game. Megan was the only other who'd have her email address, but surely she wouldn't be calling her and playing twenty questions, much less calling herself a secret admirer.

AriaMaven: This couldn't be Roan, could it?

SeraphM: Bingo! I knew you could do it, sweetheart. And why couldn't it be me?

AriaMaven: How did you get my email address?

SeraphM: From our mutual friend, Rick, bless his heart. I hope that was all right?

Actually, it wasn't. Christine preferred to give out her email address to only those whom she wanted emailing her, and Roan didn't quite fit that category. She'd have to talk to Rick about that later.

AriaMaven: To what do I owe this honor?

SeraphM: Did you get my email?

AriaMaven: I didn't know it was you, so I deleted it.

SeraphM: I was afraid you would, but I was inviting you to go to the movies with me this weekend.

AriaMaven: Why would you do that? You know I'm dating Erik Dupont.

SeraphM: I'm not asking you out on a date, silly. I'm just asking you as a friend.

Christine thought about this. Since their last encounter, she didn't know if she believed him.

AriaMaven: Then what was that kiss all about?

SeraphM: That was a friendly kiss, between friends.

AriaMaven: It didn't seem that way to me.

SeraphM: Then I'm flattered, but that's truly what it was. That new science-fiction thriller is playing over at the Rialto 16-plex and I thought you'd like to see it.

Truth be known, Christine had really wanted to see that movie, but at $9.75 a pop, plus food, she really couldn't afford it.

AriaMaven: Well, I did want to see it, but I really can't afford it right now.

SeraphM: No prob, I can get us in. I'll even throw in popcorn!

AriaMaven: No, you don't have to do that for me. I'd rather wait until I can afford it.

SeraphM: Okay, but I wish you'd reconsider. I was going to go tomorrow night, and I'd really rather go with you than with Rick. Let me know if you change your mind.

AriaMaven: I'll do that. Bye.

SeraphM: Bye, Christine. Talk to you later.

_That was weird _she thought. She wondered what Erik was doing now. It was almost six o'clock and it was already dark outside. She wished Erik could take her to that movie at the Rialto.

* * *

Erik had finally finished cleaning the grout and tile in the bathroom. Certainly not one of his favorite jobs, but necessary nonetheless. At this rate, he wouldn't have to clean it again for another few months. Anubis sauntered into the bathroom and meowed at him. 

Erik looked askance at her. "And what does my mistress desire this time? Is she hungry? Of course, if you were really the mistress of my domain, you'd have helped me clean the bathroom."

Anubis meowed again.

"Very well, my love," Erik sighed. "Come along, we'll see what we can find for you."

He passed his laptop on the way to the kitchen and wondered what Christine was doing tonight. He missed her sorely and wanted to IM her, but held back. He didn't want to have any more discussions about his mask. The last time he'd kept away from her for two days he'd been a basket case at the end of it. He could never think of Christine without feeling some measure of arousal or need to be with her. He knew he was deeply in love with her, but was at a loss on how to handle this situation. He sighed, wishing things could be simple again like they were in the beginning.

He opened a can of cat food for Anubis and refilled her water bowl. He then brought his laptop into the living room and turned it on to read the mail. He rarely got much mail nowadays and was grateful for the spam blockers he'd installed.

He very much wanted to talk to Christine, but couldn't think of anything to say that would be meaningful after last night's fiasco. He opened an IM window to see if she were even online and saw that she was. The IM tone sounded and a window popped up.

DiamondDiva: Good evening, Erik.

EDupont: Good evening, Joanna. How are you?

DiamondDiva: I'm fine, thank you. Do you have a few minutes?

EDupont: Yes, how can I help you?

DiamondDiva: I just wanted to know if you'd like to go on another sight-seeing outing, only this time, I promise, no shopping! I wanted to take in more of San Francisco's fine architecture.

EDupont: I'm sorry, but I've really got too much on my plate right now. It'd be impossible.

DiamondDiva: Well, perhaps another weekend then.

EDupont: No, I don't think so.

DiamondDiva: Why not?

EDupont: Well, to be perfectly honest, I'm just not interested in you that way.

DiamondDiva: Didn't you enjoy sight-seeing last week?

EDupont: Yes, I actually did enjoy it, but I'm not interested in pursuing a relationship with you.

DiamondDiva: Couldn't we just go as friends?

EDupont: I'm sorry, but I'm really much too busy to even be able to consider it right now. But I do thank you for your kind invitation. I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding someone who'll want to go with you.

DiamondDiva: Did you open the gift?

EDupont: Gift?

DiamondDiva: The gift I gave you last week when you dropped me off back home.

EDupont: To tell you the truth, I haven't had time to. But I promise I will.

DiamondDiva: Good. Well, if you ever feel like sight-seeing again, give me a call.

EDupont: I'll do that, thank you, Joanna. Goodnight.

DiamondDiva: Goodnight.

Erik shook his head. That was one assertive woman. He'd met her kind before: beautiful, bold, smart, and on the fast track to succeed at any cost. He actually much preferred women who didn't already have an agenda…like Christine. Christine…he wondered when he'd see her again. It was obvious the issue with the mask would never go away and that he had just two choices now – to either take it off or not. If only there were a middle ground, a compromise, but he didn't know of one. The feelings he'd almost forgotten from Sarah's rejection were now coming back full force, and every argument Christine had made were ones he'd heard twelve years ago. It was almost as though the past were repeating itself word for word. There was no way he'd put himself through that again. What to do?

He walked over to his desk and sat down, looking out the window. It was overcast again, as usual. He looked over his collection of fine stationery and selected a sheet of off-white linen, which was his personal favorite, and picked up a pen.

_

* * *

Monday _

Christine was closing the store and turning out the lights. After she'd locked up, she retired to her apartment and drew a nice, hot bath, with bubbles. She never did call Roan back about the movie, but she thought he had to be kidding about inviting her in the first place. _What a weird guy _she thought again.

As she lay there soaking, she could hear Pinecone meowing and scratching on the other side of the bathroom door. When Christine didn't respond, Pinecone took it to the next level and began reaching under the door with her paw. Christine looked over and chuckled as she saw Pinecone's paw stretching under the door in search of something. _What a crazy cat _she thought. Christine laid her head back and let her skin soak amidst the bubbles while she daydreamed. She smiled as she wondered if Erik had ever had a bubble bath. She liked the image of her and Erik in his large tub soaking in a tub of bath bubbles, and wondered if they'd ever have a chance to enjoy such a thing together.

Just then, she noticed Pinecone had retracted her paw from under the door and could hear her padding into the living room, meowing. Pinecone normally didn't do that unless there was someone on the other side of the door.

Christine decided to finish bathing and stepped out of the tub, drying herself. She wrapped a towel around herself and went to get dressed for bed. She could still hear Pinecone meowing from time to time from the living room, so she went to investigate. When she walked into the room, Pinecone was scratching at something by the entrance…an envelope that had been slipped under her door.

Christine's heart pounded as she picked it up because Erik was the only one who left things at the door for her, and sure enough, it was from him. Her name was written on the envelope in his beautiful flowing hand. She opened the door slightly to see if anyone might still be outside, but there was no one, but when she looked down, she saw he'd left a rose by her door that had a black ribbon tied around it. She picked it up and brought it into the apartment with her.

She went back to the kitchen and prepared a bud vase for the rose and brought it into the bedroom with her. She nervously looked over the envelope, as though looking for a clue as to what might be inside, and noticed that it was again written on fine linen stationery and sealed with red wax. Why couldn't he have called her or IM'd her, or even sent an email? The fact that he took the time and trouble to write her a letter didn't bode well to her.

Her fingers were actually trembling as she opened the envelope and took out the letter because she already expected the worst. She could smell his cologne as she unfolded the paper.

_My dearest Christine,_

_It goes without saying that the last several weeks have been the most wonderful and memorable of my life. You have awakened things in me that I did not know were there, and the world has benefited as a result. Each morning, you are the first thought on my mind, and each night, you are the last. You have irrevocably and inextricably become a part of my life in a way I never thought possible. There is nothing I can do any longer without you being a part of it in some way. I love you, Christine, in every way that that word entails. I believe I would not be mistaken if I were to say that you have no idea as to the depth of my love for you. _

_One of the reasons I waited as long as I did to make your acquaintance was uncertainty over your reaction to my mask. There were never any guarantees that you would accept me once you realized it was me that had for so long admired you from afar. When you declared your love for me, it was the apex of my existence. Every day in your love was a wish fulfilled. _

_We have had few disagreements, but the ones we have had were serious ones, about my mask. I will not remove my mask, Christine. You are my life, my love, my future. I want you with me always, but you must accept me as I am, as you met me, and as I will always be. I have explained my reasons to you. I love you so much, Christine, and I am already yours… my heart, my mind, and my soul. I only wish to love you for the rest of my life. _

_Eternally,_

_Erik_

Her face was wet with tears as she re-read the letter. It was all there – his feelings, his expectations, and his desires. He told her point-blank that he would never remove his mask, but that he just wanted her to love him as he was. Her first reaction was to object strongly. _But I _do _already love him as he is! _But then another voice would interject: _If that's true, then why do you still need to see what's under his mask? Your_ _love is conditional, Christine. You don't really_ _love him as long as you need to see. _

She again thought about Occam's Razor. She knew the answer was an obvious one, yet she couldn't see it, although she did feel she was getting closer somehow. She couldn't imagine ever loving anyone in her life more than she loved Erik. But if they loved each other so much, then there should be no secrets between them. This seemed as obvious to her as anything could be, yet Erik insisted on keeping his face secret between them. If they were to be a couple, this seemed wrong.

She suddenly heard the instant message tone on her laptop and immediately jumped up to see it, hoping it was Erik. It wasn't.

SeraphM: Hi, sweetheart, are you still awake?

AriaMaven: Hi, Roan, I'm still here. What's up?

SeraphM: You missed a great movie, kiddo! You would've loved it! Plenty of action, adventure, and even some romance.

AriaMaven: I guess I'll just have to wait until it comes out on video. I'm glad you had a good time.

SeraphM: Rick sends his regards, but I wish you could have come with me. Maybe another time.

AriaMaven: Yes, another time.

SeraphM: Is that a promise?

Christine paused. _There he goes again. What's he trying to do?_

AriaMaven: Maybe.

SeraphM: I promise I won't bite.

AriaMaven: I'll remember you said that.

SeraphM: So how is Mr. Dupont these days?

AriaMaven: He's fine.

SeraphM: Just fine?

AriaMaven: Yes.

SeraphM: Not to be nosy, but that doesn't sound too good from where I sit.

AriaMaven: And where is that?

SeraphM: On the sidelines, seeing my friend unhappy.

AriaMaven: Is it that obvious?

SeraphM: Yes, very. Would you like to talk about it?

AriaMaven: I don't think so. We should be able to work it out ourselves.

SeraphM: Yes, but sometimes it helps to have another man's point of view. If I may, is it about his mask?

Christine was shocked. How could Roan possibly have guessed?

AriaMaven: It is.

SeraphM: Let me guess: you want him to take his mask off and he doesn't want to. Am I right?

AriaMaven: Yes.

SeraphM: Well, I think you already know he's not going to take it off. He won't take it off for anybody, but of course that's his choice. So the question is: can you live with that?

AriaMaven: I don't know.

SeraphM: Do you love him?

AriaMaven: Yes.

SeraphM: But yet you don't know if you can live with the mask for the rest of your life?

AriaMaven: That's right.

SeraphM: Then maybe you don't love him as much as you think you do.

AriaMaven: How can you say that? You don't know anything about me!

SeraphM: Very true. But as a somewhat disinterested party, I'm just telling you the way it looks from here. Forgive me if I'm mistaken.

Christine couldn't believe this, Roan was telling her how she felt about Erik.

AriaMaven: I don't know what to do.

SeraphM: I'll tell you what my mother told me, and she was right: Follow your heart, and you'll never go wrong.

Christine was amazed. That made more sense than anything else had so far.

AriaMaven: Your mother must have been a very wise woman. Thank you, Roan.

SeraphM: You're welcome, what are friends for? Are you feeling better now?

Christine smiled. She was rather surprised at this turn of events. Never had she imagined herself confiding in Roan Richards. She'd apparently underestimated him. Perhaps he was a better friend than she gave him credit for.

AriaMaven: Yes, thanks to you. I'd better turn in now. Goodnight, Roan.

SeraphM: Goodnight, Christine.

* * *

Roan smiled as he logged off on his computer. That had gone even better than he'd hoped. She was starting to trust him. Soon, she would go out with him. 

_All it takes is patience._


	26. Lies

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers. To my great story editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover, thank you always for your wonderful suggestions and ideas. And a special thank you to Anileydip for her wonderful artwork!

Chapter 26

Lies

_Tuesday night_

Christine was tired. She'd had a rough day at school with rehearsals for the Christmas Gala and then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening on her feet at the store. She just wanted to take a shower and go to bed. But first, she wanted to IM Erik.

She hopped into the shower and thought about what she wanted to talk to Erik about. His letter had been beautiful, just like everything else about him, and he'd told her how much he loved her. But he'd also said he would never remove his mask, which caused her to reevaluate her feelings about that. Roan said she should follow her heart. Her heart told her that because she loved him and would never leave him, she had every right to see his face. On the other hand, could she just forget about it altogether and just accept it as a part of him? She could, but she'd feel as though she were living a lie. _She loved him. _How could she possibly try to ignore something that was right on his face?

She didn't have any answers other than to not mention the mask at all. All she knew was that each time they'd tried to talk about it, it'd resulted in a serious rift, and each time, she'd been afraid she'd lose him forever. How many more such rifts could their relationship take before it became fatal?

Christine stepped out of the shower and got dressed for bed. She sat on her bed now with her laptop, ready to talk to Erik.

AriaMaven: Good evening, love. Are you there?

After a few moments, she received a response.

EDupont: Good evening, cherie. How are you this evening?

AriaMaven: I'm fine, thank you. And you?

EDupont: I'm well. I trust you received my letter?

AriaMaven: Yes, I did, thank you.

_Christine is in denial. Nothing's changed. _

EDupont: Do you understand what I was trying to say, my love? Did you have any questions?

AriaMaven: I believe I understand what you were trying to tell me, baby, and your reasons for it. I guess my only question is, does this mean you'll never take your mask off for me no matter how long we're together?

EDupont: I'm not in a position to predict the future, cherie. All I can tell you is that I haven't removed it for anyone in over twelve years, so it's not something you should wait for.

Christine was silent for awhile, thinking of what this would mean for their relationship.

EDupont: Christine? Are you still there?

AriaMaven: Yes, I'm still here.

EDupont: Do you wish us to continue together?

_Yes, for lack of anything better, she will continue, but she doesn't know why. Everything depends on the mask…it is only a matter of time now._

AriaMaven: The choice has already been made for me. I love you, and I've already committed my heart to you. There's nowhere else I can go. I'll always stay with you, I'll never leave you, unless you tell me to go.

EDupont: I love you, Christine. Goodnight, cherie.

AriaMaven: I love you, too. Goodnight, baby.

Erik turned off his computer and sat there awhile, thinking, an overwhelming ache in his heart. The living room was darkened, save for one sconce that provided just enough light to move about in, and he went to sit in his favorite chair by the window, Anubis hopping up onto his lap. He stroked her evenly, scratching her behind the ears the way she loved, and he soon heard her loud purr as he thought of Christine.

He loved her…God how he loved her. Every fiber of his being relied upon her love. It was Christine who made him happy, who made him want to go on. Each rustle of leaves in the wind, the roar of waves in the ocean, or the song of sparrows…in their own way, all sang the name _Christine. _It would soon be over and he would be alone once more. He would never love another. He had given everything to Christine, and now there was just nothing left.

He felt an enormous void in his heart, as though there were a bottomless pit in the middle of it, a kind of black hole where everything would fall in, but no light or life could come out. He'd felt this way before. It was actually a very familiar feeling, albeit an unhappy one.

He rose from the chair and decided to get ready for bed. As he made his way to his room and turned down the covers, he looked at his bookcase and saw the erotic figurines. He loved them because they reminded him of his loving times with Christine. Even now he wished she were here so he could lay next to her with his arms wrapped protectively around her. His eyes shifted to the Persian music box beside the figurines and rested there for awhile. His heart was heavy, but he shook his head and decided to go to bed. On this night, there were no nightmares or outcries. For once, there was only darkness.

* * *

Christine closed down her computer for the night and sat on the bed for awhile with Pinecone, thinking about her conversation with Erik. _He asked me if I wanted to continue together. What was I supposed to say? "I'd like to continue if you'll take your mask off." Right. I couldn't tell him that this issue wasn't resolved and that he was wrong for keeping it from me. I still want him in my life…I still love him. But where do we go from here? How can I just ignore it now? _Christine was troubled as she turned down the bed and got in. She turned off the light on her nightstand, and after several minutes of unrest, finally fell asleep and dreamt of masks. 

_

* * *

Wednesday night _

"So how long do you think you'll be working here?" Roan asked as he helped Christine unpack new inventory.

"Just a couple more weeks because I'm studying for mid-terms now and I've got too much going on now with the Christmas Gala. And it's my last year, so I want to enjoy myself." Christine wrote up the new merchandise in a book and then wiped the items down before placing a price tag on them.

"When you quit, what are you going to do with your time then? You know, you may just die of boredom," he cracked.

"I don't think that's even possible. I'm sure I'll find something to keep me busy," she smiled. "Between Erik, Megan and the Phil, I think I'll manage to keep busy. What about you? What's happening in your life right now?"

"My life for the last few weeks has been all about the Christmas Gala. You'd be surprised at what we have to go through to pull off something like this. I'm sure it's even worse than throwing a wedding."

Christine snorted. "As if you'd know! And what are you worried about? When you finally do decide to get married, it'll be the bride who'll make all the arrangements. All you have to do is show up with your best friends!"

"Have you ever come close to getting married?" he asked slyly. He knew that Rick had wanted very much to marry her and wondered what she would say.

"No, not really. I've pretty much been focused on my goal of singing opera and I haven't wanted to put that off to get married. I'm still pretty young. What about you? You're twenty-five like Rick."

Roan looked serious for once and looked away. "I wouldn't mind getting married now if I met the right person, because it wouldn't change my career plans. Everything would still be on track, only I'd have a wife. Can you imagine marrying Erik Dupont?"

Christine had been smiling, but now her smile fell. She turned her head slightly hoping to hide it from Roan, but she was too late for he'd seen it immediately. "I don't know, I haven't really thought about it," she lied. "We've only been going together for a little over a month."

"Are you happy, Christine?" he asked unexpectedly.

That did it. She thought she'd been in control tonight, but at that question, her eyes immediately filled with tears and she couldn't stop the sob that escaped her. She covered her mouth with her hand to try to stifle any more sobs from escaping, but she wasn't successful. She turned from Roan because she didn't want him to see her cry, but he was beside her in an instant, and he placed his arms around her comfortingly and held her close to him.

Christine sobbed uncontrollably and couldn't stop. Her heart was breaking. Despite what they said to each other last night, despite the fact that she told him she loved him, she knew in her heart of hearts that they couldn't continue like this. She knew she was losing him and there wasn't anything she could do to stop it. She couldn't imagine life without Erik now and didn't want to, but she didn't know what to do. She loved him more than anyone or anything else in the world, and he would soon be gone. It was too much to bear.

Roan held her, stroking her hair to comfort her, shushing her quietly, rocking her gently. "It's okay, sweetheart, it'll be okay," he said gently. "Everything happens for a reason, and everything will be okay. You'll see."

"I'm…I'm losing him," she sobbed. "I don't know what to do. I can't lose him, he's everything to me."

"Shhh, it'll be okay, baby," he comforted. "Everything will work out, you'll see."

Outside, Erik had driven up and parked when he looked in the store and saw Roan holding Christine. His anger flared immediately, and he decided then and there to wait until Roan left before he walked into the store, because if he were to confront him now, he was certain he would kill him.

Christine's sobs lessened until she had calmed herself sufficiently to pull away. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to unload this on you."

Roan held her arms gently. "Christine, it's okay, I'm here for you if you need me. I'll always be here for you."

His voice was so gentle, yet strong, and he really cared about her. Christine hugged him and rested her head on his chest, feeling comforted by his nearness and strength. "Thank you," she whispered. "I need to close up now. I'll be okay. I'll just go upstairs when I finish here, you don't have to stay."

Roan helped her finish closing up the store, and as she turned out the lights and locked the front door, he looked at her with concern. "If you need me for anything, even if it's just to talk, call me," and he gave her one of his business cards. "It has my home number on it as well as my cell."

"Thank you," she replied softly. And unexpectedly, she kissed him gently on the cheek before turning to enter her apartment building.

Roan watched her as she ascended the stairs before turning to walk down the street toward his own car.

Erik was fuming as he watched the boy walk down the street, and getting out of his car, walked across to Madame Wu's. It was obvious Christine was upset, and he was certain it was because of their disagreement over his mask. _So this puppy thinks he'll be the one to comfort the grieving Christine and then step into my place when I'm gone. Christine will make her own choice of whom to love, but not before we are finished. Her happiness is my only concern._

When he reached Christine's apartment building, he was about to open the door to let himself into the foyer when he suddenly felt someone's hand on his shoulder. "Erik?"

He turned around swiftly, surprised to see Roan standing before him. "Roan?" He felt his blood begin to boil once more. "What are you doing here?" he asked with forced calm.

"I was here to see Christine, but she was upset tonight. I wanted to talk to you about her." Erik and Christine's relationship was most likely approaching its end. Roan had been prepared to talk to Erik openly about Christine and his feelings for her, but being face to face with him now, on the street, had instantly put him on guard. He was able to tell immediately that there was something frightening and predatory about Erik. Whether it was the absolute cold in his eyes, his uncanny stealth, or the unnatural calm of his voice, he could tell that Erik was capable of violence, and that murder wouldn't be out of the question. How could Christine possibly be in love with him?

As Erik calmly waited for him to speak, Roan felt as though he were a rabbit standing before a wolf, with no escape in sight.

After an interminable silence, Roan spoke, carefully. "Christine isn't happy. I don't know about your relationship, but she deserves to be happy. She's a wonderful woman, and you're very lucky to have her."

Erik looked down and nodded slowly as he took in his words. He looked up halfway, but did not meet his eyes. "You think I'm lucky?" he asked softly.

Roan looked at him. "Why, of course you are, anyone would be lucky to have a woman like her."

Before he knew what was happening, Erik grabbed him roughly by the throat and shoved him forcefully against the side of the building, his body pinning him as Roan stared at him wide-eyed in shock. His first reaction had been to fight him off, but he soon found that Erik was incredibly strong and was holding him fast almost too easily. Erik brought his face to within a couple inches of Roan's, who thought that this close, Erik looked like a demon. Roan could feel his hot breath as Erik spoke to him in an eerily controlled, yet menacing rasp, almost mocking. "One should know when one is playing in another man's garden, and that it is in bad taste to pick another man's flower. Do you understand, boy?"

Roan was about to struggle to free himself from Erik's grasp on his throat, but Erik let go instantly before he could reach him, almost causing him to fall. Erik stood back and smirked, Roan becoming angry at being bested at that moment. As Erik turned to take his leave, he said calmly, "Be careful not to trespass, young one, for there is a heavy price to pay in all things."

Roan could only stare as Erik calmly walked back to his car and then drove away. He gently rubbed his neck where Erik had grabbed him. _This guy's crazy…he could have killed me if he'd wanted to. This is the guy Christine's in love with? _He walked down the street to his car and drove home.

_

* * *

Friday _

Erik had decided to perform a song by Andrea Bochelli for the Christmas Gala and was rehearsing in his studio. Amir walked in to see how he was coming along, but it was clear that Erik's mind wasn't on the song.

"You'll have them swooning in the aisles, Romeo," Amir smiled tentatively as he walked in.

"It'll be nice to sing in public again," Erik smiled back. "This is as close to the public as I'll get, but it's good to get out there every few years." He took a sip from his water bottle.

"I've been meaning to ask you..."

"What?"

"What's wrong?"

"Who says anything's wrong?" They walked out onto the patio. Erik had done a wonderful job of landscaping it to look like a luxuriant oasis with grass,bushes, trees and plants. It was a cool day, a little overcast, but clear enough to see the ocean. Amir sat under the umbrella as Erik paced.

"I think I've known you long enough to know when something's not right, like last night's chess game. I've never won a game that easily."

Erik sighed heavily. "I promised myself when this whole thing started that if Christine ever left me, it wouldn't be because of this…" he gestured to the mask. "But now it looks like it will be anyways. I can't win."

"What happened?"

"Nothing, not yet, but I can feel it coming." He turned back to Amir. "What do you know about Roan Richards?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Roan Richards, the one who works in De Chagny's department? He's a good worker, smart, on the fast track same as Rick, comes from a good family, rich. What's this about?"

Erik shook his head and walked over to the railing, looking towards the ocean. "Nothing, it's nothing," he muttered.

"The mask?"

He didn't answer.

"Take it off."

"No."

"You've got nothing to lose."

"Christine."

Amir got up and walked over to him. "According to you, you've already lost her, so you've got nothing to lose."

Erik sighed deeply as he ran his hands through his hair and walked away.

_

* * *

Saturday _

Christine grabbed her purse and locked the apartment as she walked out the door. She was glad to finally be out of the house and walked over to Burrito Express, which was just a short ways down the street. She flipped open her phone as she casually made her way there for lunch.

The phone rang a few times before Megan finally picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi there, it's me!"

"Christine, where the hell have you been! Honestly, you get a boyfriend and you vanish off the face of the earth!

Christine had to chuckle. "I'm sorry about that, I've been pretty busy, but not today. I'm walking over to Burrito Express to get some tacos."

"Mmm, that sounds good. Why don't you grab me some, too, and then we can spend some time together?"

"I'm not driving, I'm walking. Why don't you come over, then the tacos won't get cold?"

"Okay, I'll be there in fifteen minutes. You should be back home by then."

"Okay, bye."

She walked into Burrito Express and placed her order, sharing some light banter with Alex before she took her bag filled with delectable smells and making her way back to her apartment.

Megan arrived shortly thereafter and sat herself down at the kitchen table. "So how is our favorite Latin hunk?" she asked cheerfully.

"Still gay, unfortunately," Christine smiled..

"Hmm, such a waste. What I could do with a guy like that…."

"Megan! You've already got a boyfriend!" Christine said, shocked.

"I may have a boyfriend, but I'm not blind," she retorted.

"Yeah, he is quite an eyeful. Oh well…." Christine got out some plates and napkins as they started in on their tacos.

"So how's everything with you and Erik? What's new?"

Christine paused and thought about it before answering. She didn't look at her as she said softly, "I'm losing him, and I don't know what to do about it."

_"What! _What the hell happened!" Megan had stopped eating and was looking raptly at her now.

She told her about what happened at Fong's Friday before last, and Erik's reaction. "I don't know why the mask bothered me so much that night, but it was like every time I looked at him, all I could see was the mask. Of course, I was sitting on that side of him, but it really bothered me, like it was emphasizing the fact that I'd never see his face. When we got back to the apartment, he was just going to leave until I asked him not to, and then…." And Christine proceeded to tell her about Erik's gift and what transpired after that.

Megan let her speak without interruption, but by the time she'd finished, Megan was stunned.

"My god, Christine, he really loves you. What you said to him really freaked him out and he ravaged you."

"You're not kidding, you should've seen me the day after. I looked like I'd either been in a fight or gone through a war. He was gone by the time I got up, and then I didn't hear from him until Monday night when he slipped a letter under my door. He didn't even knock to let me know he'd been there."

"So what did the letter say?" Megan fleetingly thought that this human drama was by far more interesting than anything she'd ever see on TV.

"He told me how much he loved me but that I had to accept him as he was, with the mask. He said he'd never take it off."

"Have you spoken with him since then?"

"Yes, I IM'd him Tuesday night and we talked and said we loved each other, but things just didn't feel right, like we were both holding back what we were truly feeling. Now I feel like the walking dead, just waiting for the ax to fall and finish the job."

"That's very descriptive. Christine, can't you just forget the mask? That's what this is all about, isn't it?"

"How can I forget about it? It's right on his face, it's there whenever I look at him!"

Megan took a deep breath, as though she were getting ready for a great undertaking. "Okay, let's take this apart. You love him and he loves you, he's been nothing but kind and generous, and he's never asked for anything in return. Does the mask change the man he is?"

"No, of course not." Christine was growing tired of this. These were all things she'd already gone over repeatedly.

"So then seeing him or not seeing him isn't going to change how you feel about him, right?"

"That's right, but it's also about trust. If we're going to be together, he has to trust me enough to let me see his face."

"Why?"

_"Why?" _Christine looked at her as though her friend had suddenly become retarded.

"Yes, tell me why."

"Because I love him! I'm never going to love anyone else for as long as I live and I'm never going to leave him! I'm giving him my whole life!"

Megan looked at her steadily. "And you can't do any of this unless you see his face?"

Christine looked at her blankly until she exploded, _"No! _That's _not_ what I meant! I'll love him even if I never see his face, and he'll always love me! So there's absolutely no reason why I shouldn't be able to see it!"

Megan lowered her head, closed her eyes and slowly began shaking her head. Christine wondered if she were trying to stifle a laugh.

She was becoming angry. _"What? _Are you in on some secret that everyone else in the world knows but me? What's so funny!"

Megan looked into her eyes with the trace of a smile still on her lips. She went over to her and hugged her. "Christine, you know I love you like a sister, but I swear there are times when I seriously wonder about you."

Christine was more than frustrated now. "Megan, can you cut to the chase and just tell me what I need to know?"

Megan sat down again and looked at her lovingly. "It's like I've told you before, sis. Forget the mask. That's all you have to do. Just forget about it. Can you do that?"

Christine sighed. "I don't know. I feel I have a right if I'm willing to spend the rest of my life with him."

Megan looked at her and her smile fell. "In that case, you may not get the chance."


	27. Roan

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers and to my great story editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover, without whose help this chapter would not have been possible. And a very special note of thanks to all who helped in ridding our fanfic community of the plagiarist Luna Penmora who had shamelessly tried to steal two very fine works of fiction by my wonderful editor, Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 27

Roan

_Saturday evening_

EDupont: Good evening, my love.

AriaMaven: Erik! I'm so glad to hear from you!

EDupont: How have you been?

AriaMaven: Very lonely.

EDupont: And why is that?

AriaMaven: I've missed you.

EDupont: Have you?

AriaMaven: Of course, very much.

EDupont: I would have thought Mr. Richards would have helped ease your loneliness.

AriaMaven: Why would you say that?

EDupont: It's no secret that he enjoys your company.

AriaMaven: We're just friends.

EDupont: I see.

AriaMaven: Why are you acting like this? I love you.

EDupont: You are loved by many.

AriaMaven: Erik, please don't do this. You're the only one I love.

EDupont: Indeed. And my mask?

AriaMaven: That's not fair.

EDupont: No, the world is not fair.

AriaMaven: I love all of you, I always will. But you don't believe me.

EDupont: The mask means much to you.

AriaMaven: Only because I love YOU.

EDupont: Goodnight, Christine.

AriaMaven: Wait, don't go!

_EDupont has signed off._

Erik sat at his desk, immobile, thinking. He wanted to scream, he wanted to punch something, he wanted to die.

_Nothing's changed. Nothing will change. Why is it so hard for her to just accept me? I thought that if I showed her kindness and unconditional love that she would return it to me. Was I so naïve as to think that love alone would cover over my imperfection? All I've asked of her was to_ _accept me, but if she_ _can't accept me with the mask, then I can't believe she will accept me without it. For four years, I was living a dream, and now the reality has come. But…I still love her…_

Upset, Christine pushed herself away from the computer and began pacing. The pain in her heart didn't hurt as much when she paced. What could she do? How much time did they have before it was really over? She knew she would do anything, but what could she do that would convince him before it was too late? She thought of Megan. _Forget the mask. _Easy for her to say, her boyfriend doesn't wear one.

Christine felt like she was going crazy. She'd always been able to solve her own problems by thinking them through logically, but logic didn't seem to work this time. Her logic told her that if she and Erik loved one another, there shouldn't be any secrets, but he obviously didn't feel the same way. She gave him every argument on why he should show her his face, but it wasn't enough. _Occam's Razor. _Megan said that Occam was a logician and that he said the simplest answer was usually the correct one. _Forget the mask. _But that's _not_ the right answer, so this has to be an exception to the rule. Great. She was right back where she started. Now what?

Brainstorm. That sometimes helped, so Christine began brainstorming ideas. _Write a letter to Erik explaining how I feel…Go to him and tell him… Call him on the phone so he can hear my voice...Talk to Amir about it so he can pass it on to Erik...Talk to Megan so she can tell Amir and he can tell Erik…Go to him while he's working and confront him, that way he can't walk away from me_. _That's it! _

Christine decided to go to the Phil next week and confront him during a break in rehearsals. He'd have to hear her out then.

_

* * *

Tuesday _

Rehearsals at the conservatory had been progressing in earnest and Christine was tired although it was just lunch time. She was glad for the break, but rather than head to the cafeteria, she decided to use her lunch hour to go talk to Erik at his job. This would be the second week since she'd seen him, and she couldn't stand this uncertainty. She hated being away from him. She rushed out to the school parking lot and took off in her car.

When she finally pulled up to the Phil, she mentally went over again how she would approach him and what she'd say. As she walked into the theater, she was glad to see she'd arrived when they were on a break. She walked over to one of the stage hands that was working near the door and asked him where Mr. Dupont might be.

"He's with the music director up in the balcony," he replied genially, pointing up above them.

"The balcony? I would've thought they'd be sitting in the middle of the orchestra section like most directors," she said, confused.

"Nope, not them. They feel that if it looks and sounds good from the very back, it'll be good up close," he replied.

_Well, that certainly makes sense _Christine thought as she made her way up the stairs.

When she reached the second floor, she wondered what part of the balcony they'd be seated in. She came to a set of double doors and gently pulled it open. When she walked in, she noticed she was in a small entryway, and directly in front of her was a heavy velvet curtain. She walked up and quietly parted them, and from this darkened vantage point, admired the lit stage and the grandeur that was the Phil. She loved the view from the balcony and admired the many decorative touches that were modern, yet reminiscent of the famous Paris Opera House.

She was suddenly stirred from her observations by voices that were very close yet came from below her. She shifted her gaze to the first row of seats to her right and was shocked to realize that while she'd been admiring the stage, Erik and Amir were sitting not more than three feet from where she stood! As she stood rooted to the spot, they continued their conversation, and due to the emptiness of the balcony section, Christine found that she could hear everything.

"Our new soprano is doing much better than I thought she would. I'm thinking of moving her up to number two. Is she still after you?" Amir turned to Erik sitting on his right.

Erik leaned his head back slightly. "Yes, and I'm running out of excuses."

Amir snorted. "What are you complaining about? I should have a beautiful blond chasing me."

Erik looked over at him. "I thought you already did. How are you two getting along?"

"Wonderful, she's wonderful. I couldn't be happier. What about you two?"

Erik sighed and gestured helplessly with his hand. "I don't know," he murmured softly. "It's been two weeks since I've seen her."

Amir turned to him in surprise. "Two weeks? Do you think that's wise, especially with Roan…"

"Maybe she'd be better off with him. The last time we were together, I almost raped her because I was so upset at her about…." He stopped, not wanting to remember that night. "Maybe I should just forget it and go out with Ms. DiamondDiva."

Christine froze. _DiamondDiva! _

"Joanna? I don't think so. You'd rather give up Christine than take it off?"

"No, but it looks like I don't have a choice. I'm going back up to the apartment. I'll see you later."

Amir called after him, "Bike ride, this weekend. I'll give you a call."

"Right." Erik took his leave and headed for the elevator

Christine had already run quietly down the stairs and out of the building. By the time she reached her car, her face was wet with shed tears and she was sobbing as she frantically searched for her keys so she could leave the parking structure and get home. By the time she got back to Madame Wu's, she couldn't even remember the drive home. All she could remember were his words: _"Maybe I should just forget it and go out with Ms. DiamondDiva."_

She hurried up the stairs and locked the door behind her. She went to her bedroom and laid down on the bed, the tears still flowing freely. She was remembering the last several weeks with Erik…the letters, the flowers, their meeting, the places they'd been to, the things they'd said to each other, making love…. The pain in her heart was so agonizing that it reminded her of when her parents died. The horrible finality of it, the hollowness, and the darkness that overshadowed the days and months afterwards…. This felt the same way, as though something had died.

Christine looked up and stared at the ceiling. _I don't know what to do. I'm alone again. He doesn't want me any more. _She looked around her room and noticed how different everything looked now. Everything looked foreign, unfriendly, detached. Exhausted from crying, she soon fell asleep on her bed until her cell phone rang, waking her up. Madame Wu was calling to see if Christine would be tending the store that afternoon. She'd forgotten all about her afternoon classes and her job.

_

* * *

Wednesday _

Christine was glad she didn't run into Megan at school today. She wasn't up to telling her yet about what she'd overheard at the Phil. She was still somewhat shell-shocked. She remembered the words of love Erik had spoken to her after the first time they'd made love. _There is no life for me without you._ She wondered if he still meant them now. She knew that her words still rang true. _You're the love of my life. I'll never leave you unless you tell me to go._

Christine was glad she didn't run into Megan at school today. She wasn't up to telling her yet about what she'd overheard at the Phil. She was still somewhat shell-shocked. She remembered the words of love Erik had spoken to her after the first time they'd made love. She wondered if he still meant them now. She knew that her words still rang true. re 

As she worked through the afternoon, Christine wondered when she'd see Erik again. She again thought over her reasons for needing to see his face, for that seemed to be the crux of this whole mess. She wished it could be as easy as just not paying attention to the mask, but since they were now as close as they were, that would be impossible.

As it started getting dark around six o'clock, Christine again wondered if Erik would drop by the store to see her. Whenever the door chimes would ring, she'd look up quickly in anticipation, only to be disappointed. When it was around eight o'clock, a half hour before closing, Christine wondered where Erik was now, and what he was doing. Was he at home having dinner, perhaps with Amir, or perhaps on his way to see her? The chimes rang again and as Christine looked up, Roan walked in and approached the counter.

"Hi, sweetheart," he smiled, and he leaned over the counter to kiss her cheek. "How are you doing this week?"

Truth be known, Christine actually felt tired. Besides the rehearsals for the Christmas Gala, she thought the high emotion of the last few days had taken their toll on her. "I'm fine," she smiled. She really didn't want to talk about it.

Roan looked at her appraisingly before saying anything. "You look kind of tired, babe. Why don't we go to a movie this weekend?"

Christine looked at him and smiled. She really did appreciate his thoughtfulness, but she still couldn't afford it. "Thanks for asking, but I still can't go. I've got too many bills coming up."

But it seemed Roan wouldn't be put off this time. "That's okay, how about coming over and watching a movie at my place? I've got a big screen."

"I'll tell you what, why don't you come over to my place and we can watch a movie on my 19"? It's not big, but the color's great. Saturday at seven?" Christine thought this might be a better alternative than going to his apartment.

Roan grinned, glad to have gotten his way, at least part way. "Great! You pick the movie and I'll bring something for us to eat."

"That's a plan," she smiled. She was actually feeling better now that she had something to look forward to.

Outside in his car, Erik contemplated either going into the store or just going home. Once again, Roan Richards was there and it looked like Christine was enjoying his company. _She'd never have to wonder about that boy's face for he's even more handsome than Rick de Chagny. He's also wealthy, so he could care for her and encourage her career. If only she could accept me with my mask, then I could take her back from this impudent pup. But as it is, perhaps it's better this way…_

Erik's heart pained him even more now than it had for the last few days now that he could see Christine. But he couldn't touch her, and that boy was with her. He could feel his heart pining painfully for her as he slowly pulled away from the curb and drew further away. _I love you, Christine. I will always love you…_

_

* * *

Saturday night _

She'd tried not to think about it, but she might as well have tried to stop breathing. She thought of Erik during every waking moment, hoping for an IM, a phone call, an email, a letter…but there'd been nothing. Of course, she could have taken the initiative and sent him an IM or letter herself, but she knew that Erik wouldn't have appreciated it. It was tantamount to begging. He would have to make the first move. She wondered if he even missed her? With all of his toys and resources, she couldn't imagine him pining away over her.

She walked into her living room and looked at the picture she'd framed on the side table. It was the one of them in the hammock. How she loved that picture. She began to feel that pain in her heart again so tried to put the thought out of her mind. It was almost seven o'clock and Roan would be arriving soon. She appreciated that he'd offered to spend the evening with her to make her feel better. It'd be nice to have company again. She'd picked out two movies for their evening: a romantic comedy for the first, and the scary science fiction Aliens for the second. At about five minutes to seven, there was a knock on her door.

When she opened it, Roan was on the other side with a large white bag in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. She noticed that he looked rather nice tonight, dressed casually, but very nicely. He smiled when he saw her and gave her an affectionate kiss on the cheek. "Hi, sweetheart! Ready for our big night?"

Christine giggled. "I sure am! I hope you don't mind that we'll be sitting on the floor in the living room. I thought it'd be better for watching TV." Christine would never have suggested sitting on the floor to Erik, but for Roan it seemed appropriate since he was younger and closer to her age.

She led him into the living room and he took out the items from the white restaurant bag. He set the items on the coffee table with a flourish that made Christine smile, and he announced, "Tonight we are having lasagna with meat sauce, linguini with white clam sauce, a salad with fresh baby greens and Italian house dressing, and freshly baked rolls. And to drink, Brunello di Montalcino, a red from Italy."

Christine's mouth was actually watering and she was grinning at the sumptuous fare. "It looks wonderful, I'll get the dishes."

As she went into the kitchen, Roan followed her to help. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

"You can take these and I'll get the glasses." Christine handed him the dishes, flatware and napkins, and she got down two wine goblets and two glasses for water.

When they settled down at the coffee table, Christine turned on the movie as they served themselves. The movie was enjoyable as was dinner, and Christine was having a wonderful time. Roan was exceedingly charming and she found she enjoyed his conversation and humor very much. She fleetingly wondered if all wealthy sons and daughters were taught from an early age on how to converse skillfully and humorously in order to fit into high society. She was surprised to learn that Roan was actually very well versed in the goings on of San Francisco's cultural community, but then realized she probably shouldn't have been. Like Rick, he was one day expected to take the reins of his family's business which had offices in several countries, and he was being groomed for this in the executive offices of the Phil.

Christine told Roan about her own background, her parents' death, how she'd come to attend the conservatory, and her desire to become an opera singer. These were things Roan already knew, having listened to Rick go on about it for two years, but he listened politely and spoke encouragingly about her desire to sing.

"I've performed before, but this'll be the first time I've been asked to do the Christmas Gala. I'm kind of nervous about it because it's so important."

"I really don't think you'll have anything to worry about, babe," Roan smiled as he sipped his wine. "I've heard you sing before and I really think you'll knock their socks off."

"You're too kind," she smiled. "Here, let me get dessert."

She went back into the kitchen and came back with two small bowls of ice cream covered with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, nuts and cherries. "It's simple, but fun," she explained.

Roan truly thought it was charming. "I love it," he said sincerely with a smile.

When they finished their meal, Christine began collecting the dishes and Roan automatically stood to help her. "You don't have to do that," she said, surprised. "You're my guest."

"I don't mind," he said as he gathered the glasses. "I always helped out in the kitchen at home. My mother always loved me for it," he smirked.

Christine was somewhat surprised. Aside from Erik, she didn't know of any men who helped out in the kitchen. She left the wine glasses and wine on the table so they could drink it during the second movie. "Do you cook, too?" she asked curiously.

"As a matter of fact, I do. It's one of my hobbies. I make a pretty mean trout almandine. I'll have to have you over for dinner sometime."

_Wow, I'm impressed _Christine thought. "You're gonna make some woman very happy one of these days," she teased.

_That's what I'm hoping for _he thought.

They worked together rinsing the dishes and placing them in the dishwasher, and in no time were back in front of the TV for the second movie.

When the movie started, Roan was somewhat surprised to see what it was. "I would have thought you'd seen this already," he said.

"No, I've never seen it. I only saw the first of the series a few weeks ago," _with Erik_ she thought sadly.

The movie was very suspenseful, and like before, it wasn't long before Christine jumped and would hide her face behind her hands. Roan thought it was very amusing and Christine was soon burying her face in his shoulder and he was protecting her from the monsters by placing his arms around her. Christine found this movie even more frightening than the first and was dying from the suspense. Roan on the other hand was enjoying his role as protector. By the time it was over, Christine was exhausted.

"Did you really enjoy that?" he asked. "You look a little drained."

"Yeah, it was great," she smiled. "I loved it." She turned off the TV and put on some soft music so they could converse while finishing off the wine. She was getting sleepy, but fortunately there was no school or work tomorrow.

They sat side by side on the couch in companionable silence for awhile as the music played softly. Roan gently stroked the side of her face with his finger to get her attention. "What's on your mind?" he asked softly.

Christine sighed. "Nothing…everything. I was just wondering what's going to happen now."

"Between you and Erik?"

Christine nodded. "Yes."

"How long's it been since you've seen him?"

Christine sipped her wine. "Two weeks…it's been two weeks. I wish I knew what to do." She missed him more than she could stand.

"Do you know if he's interested in someone else?"

"He might be."

"How do you know?"

"I heard him talking with someone."

"I doubt if anyone could hold a candle to you, babe," Roan offered encouragingly.

Christine smiled. "Thanks, but you haven't seen her. She's drop dead gorgeous."

"It doesn't matter. You're beautiful inside _and _out. If he can't see that, then he really doesn't deserve you."

Christine looked up at him then for the first time and saw that he was looking deeply into her eyes. She fleetingly thought _his eyes really are a very dark blue…_

Before she was able to think, Roan had leaned over and gently placed a lingering kiss upon her lips, his tongue gently invading her mouth. Christine was shocked. Her heart seemed to have stopped and her mind suddenly went blank. Did she feel something? Roan must have sensed her confusion for he leaned in and placed a couple more kisses on her lips before she backed away, her eyes not leaving him.

"Roan," she whispered. "I think you'd better go now, this isn't a good idea. I'm still with Erik."

He looked at her, his face mere inches from her own. "No, you're not," he murmured. "If you're still with him, then what am I doing here?"

"You're my friend," she said helplessly.

Roan reached up and ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm more than a friend," he whispered, and he claimed her lips once more, pushing her down on the couch so that he was now above her. He kissed her firmly, and he could feel her need as she kissed him back_. It's been two weeks since she's been with Erik…she must be very needy indeed _he thought. He reached under her top and felt the warmth of her skin beneath his hand. He moved her bra aside and took her breast in his hand, squeezing it and rubbing her nipple.

Christine couldn't believe what was happening, but she couldn't stop it. She needed this, she needed to feel his hands and his lips on her. Roan took one rosy peak into his mouth, sucking and running his tongue around its tip, and Christine moaned and arched her back automatically, her resolve all but gone. As Roan suckled and teased her nipple, he thought of how sweet she tasted and decided he wanted more. His hand left her breast and went down to breach the waistband of her pants. As his hand made its way lower, he was surprised and aroused to find that she was shaved. He dipped his fingers into her and found her incredibly wet. He brought his fingers out, and locating her clit, massaged it sleekly and expertly, obtaining the desired reaction as Christine jolted in surprise and moaned even more sensuously. Soon, her breathing became labored. Christine was almost his, and he could tell by her reaction that she was almost there. He inserted his fingers into her again, which made her shudder, and feeling an even greater slickness than before, knew that she was ready for him.

_"No…" _She tried to pull his hand away.

He knew it was taking all of her resolve to speak.

_"Please…stop…" _Christine weakly pushed against him.

He tried to stimulate her more so that her resolve would fail and she would be his. He was so close now…

_"Roan… please don't…" _she begged hoarsely. She was trying to pull his hands away. He wanted her, he didn't want to stop. All he had to do was continue to stimulate her clit just a little more and she then wouldn't be able to stop it…

_"Please…Roan…" _

With great difficulty, he drew his hand away from her and held her until her breathing returned to normal. He really didn't want to force her or take her against her will. He wanted her to want him and be a willing participant. When he could tell that she was all right again, he got up from the couch and stood.

"I'm sorry, Christine. I'd better go now. Goodnight." He locked the door behind him and made his way down the stairs.

Christine silently watched him leave. She laid on the couch and her body still felt aglow from Roan's manual stimulation. She had to finish it or she'd go crazy. She tried to relax and placed her hand on her breast to tease her nipple. She placed her other hand under her panties so she could finger her clit to climax, and she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate, an erotic fantasy of Erik…. She tensed her muscles as she fingered her nipple and clit simultaneously, and soon began to feel the beginnings of the pleasure wave approaching. She stimulated herself faster as she felt it getting closer, and as the wave overtook her, she tensed powerfully and moaned uncontrollably in the throes of passion….

When the wave had passed, she came down gradually and her breathing slowed. Now that she'd satisfied herself, she felt better, like she could go on. She wondered about Roan. This was what he'd wanted all along…

She closed her eyes and wished for Erik. And then she fell asleep.

* * *

Roan drove home quickly and hurriedly parked his car as he made his way up to his apartment, his cock straining painfully against his pants. When he finally got in the door, he dropped his clothes on the floor as he went and ran the shower so he could get this over with. Once under the hot water, he immediately took hold of his rock hard member and began stroking himself rapidly for he was close to bursting. _I'd have taken her if I could – I wanted to bury myself in her and fuck her brains out. _After a few moments, his hips spasmed powerfully and he groaned as his cum was forced from his straining cock in copious spurts. He continued pumping his hardened member until it was finally spent. He leaned back against the wall of the shower, breathing deeply, remembering Christine on the verge of orgasming. It was the most erotic sight he'd ever seen…he'd been so close. 

_Next time, I'll have you, Christine. Once I fuck you, you'll be mine, and I'll have taken you from Erik…. You'll be mine!_


	28. Still

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers for reviewing. Special thanks to my wonderful editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover who are also my friends, and a special thank you to my friend Pertie. They make it possible for me with their encouragement, support and friendship.

Chapter 28

Still

_Saturday_

Erik awoke slowly. Before he'd even opened his eyes, he felt a heaviness in his heart. It took awhile to remember why it was there, but when he did, he wished he hadn't. He couldn't believe it'd been two weeks since he'd been with her, since he'd made love to her, and he wished she were here now so that he could be with her again, holding her, smelling the sweet scent of her skin, her hair….

God, how he missed her. It was as though an integral part of him had been torn away. He got up and walked to the bathroom, quickly taking a shower, and then strolled into the kitchen, foregoing a robe. He poured himself a small glass of orange juice and went into the living room and stood, resolutely looking out the window toward the ocean. He'd never taken Christine to the beach, although he did take her to an island, and now wished that he had. Even the simple things seemed precious now…walking hand in hand down the street, sharing a joke, smiling across a room. He sighed deeply.

He knew Roan wouldn't waste any time making his move. He was familiar with his type: rich, privileged, waiting for an opportunity before he pounced. He wondered if he'd already made it. Would Christine be so quick to accept his advances? Could she already have? All these thoughts were like knives piercing his skin. _I know she loves me, but it's been two weeks, and Roan has been highly attentive. _

He'd been missing her desperately, and every night was a struggle not to call her. He missed making love to her most of all. Each day would bring a dull ache to his heart, and his need for her would almost outweigh all reason, forcing him to relieve himself almost daily or go mad with want and desire for her. For the first time in his life, he had seriously considered taking a prostitute, or call girl as the more exclusive ones were called. So rampant were the emotions now coursing through him that it necessarily found expression in his music, and it was in this way that Amir knew that something was wrong.

It was about six in the morning when Amir walked in outfitted for biking and he found Erik in the studio playing a new piece on the piano. He approached slowly, taking in the unfamiliar strains, and noticed that Erik was nude, which he found particularly strange.

"New piece?" he asked tentatively.

Erik merely looked at him and nodded as he continued playing.

"Change your mind about going riding?"

Erik stopped playing and looked at him. He closed the cover over the keys rather loudly and silently rose from the seat, walking toward his bedroom as Amir followed.

Amir made himself comfortable in one of the chairs as Erik went about gathering his clothes. Amir watched his friend as he picked through the clothes in his drawers and from the closet, laying everything out on the bed as he donned the pieces one by one. Amir had an idea of what was bothering him, but thought it best to let him broach the subject himself. When Erik was completely outfitted, they took the elevator from the living room down to the car condo below the parking garage.

Erik had included the car condo in his original plans for the Phil, and its exclusive use was outlined in his contract, along with that of the musical director. Between Erik and Amir, there were about twenty vehicles housed there: cars, motorcycles, and assorted recreational vehicles and trailer hitches. Erik was glad he'd had the foresight to include it in his design for they used it frequently.

They selected their helmets and boarded their motorcycles. They each had a Ducati, an Italian motorbike known for its speed and styling. They sped out of the garage and onto the streets of San Francisco, which were still fairly empty this early in the morning. They sped northward until they reached the Golden Gate Bridge and then made the journey across its expanse. Erik loved the feeling of freedom as they rode side by side, the wind rushing past, no sound but for the roar of their engines, and in the company of his best friend. The Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay lay on either side of them, and the waters were a clear greenish-blue for as far as the eye could see. Soon, they reached the small coastal town of Sausalito on the other side.

They drove down the sleepy streets until they reached a favorite breakfast spot: The Mudhen. It was on a typically nondescript street near the water, and as they parked their bikes and removed their helmets, they entered through the screen door and made their way to their usual booth near the back. A young waitress quickly approached their table and smiled warmly, leaving a couple of menus and place settings for them. They opened their menus and ordered bacon, eggs, grits and toast.

It was a perfect morning, peaceful and quiet. Erik imagined Christine still sleeping peacefully in her bed and wondered what she'd be doing as the day wore on. He enjoyed the quaint shops along the main street in Sausalito and thought how nice it would have been if they could have explored them together. Amir also seemed to be deep in thought as he ate his eggs and grits. Erik was glad to see Amir stay with one woman for once and hoped it would last. He knew that Amir had much to offer someone, but that it would take a very special woman to tame him. Many women had tried, but would ultimately have their heart broken as he moved on to the next. Erik was certain this was due to their past in Persia, but knew that Amir had worked hard to leave that man in his past.

"How's your song?" Amir asked suddenly. He knew that Erik was most likely already prepared for the Christmas Gala with both the song and his piece, but he wanted to bring up the subject of Christine.

Erik looked up. "It's fine, it's ready. And the piece is ready, too."

"Your new material is different from the stuff you'd written just a few weeks ago. What's up?"

Erik took a deep breath and closed his eyes before replying. "I haven't seen nor spoken to her for two weeks. Since what happened last time, I don't know what to say to her. She's never going to leave it alone."

"If you're not going to take it off and she's not going to leave it alone, then I'd say it's time to move on."

Erik looked down at his plate. "I was thinking the same thing," he said softly. "But there'll never be anyone else for me."

"You don't know that."

"I do. I can't wait another twelve years to fall in love with someone. I gave her everything. It's just not in the cards for me."

"Can you really give her up to Roan?"

"She could do worse. He's rich, comes from a good family. And he could help her get ahead in her career. And he's handsome," he added ruefully.

"I don't think looks are everything to her."

"Thanks a lot."

"You know what I mean. I believe she does love you, and I think she'll stick around even after she's seen you."

"But it means too much to her. If she can't accept me with it, she can't accept me without it."

Amir looked at him steadily, as if appraising him. "You're good at twisting words, my friend, but this time, you're wrong."

Erik looked at him, but didn't reply. He returned to his breakfast before asking finally, "Have you told Megan yet how you feel?"

Amir stopped as he was about to eat a forkful of grits. "No, but she hasn't told me, either."

Erik was impressed. "Smart girl. Have you seen her dance yet?"

"Yes, I have. She's very good. She'll be hired no problem if she auditions. What about Christine?"

"Yes, she'll be hired. She sings better than Victoria, that's for sure."

"Then that's got to be an improvement," Amir nodded.

As they finished breakfast, they went up to pay their bill and Amir noticed the young waitress surreptitiously glancing at Erik when she thought he wasn't looking. Amir realized that Erik would have thought she was looking at his mask, and true to form, would be oblivious to the fact that she was looking at _all of him. _Amir shook his head. Erik had no idea how he looked to others. Dressed as he was in his motorcycle gear, long hair and sunglasses, he looked as though he'd stepped out of an advertisement. It wasn't unusual for them to be stared at as they rode their bikes, and while Amir appreciated the stares of men and women alike, Erik always did his best to ignore them, always imaging that they were staring at his mask, even when they couldn't see it behind his helmet.

It was still early morning and the streets were just now starting to stir with activity. They rode up to a bluff that overlooked the Pacific Ocean and sat at a picnic table to enjoy the spectacular view. In this part of the country, clear days were not taken for granted.

Amir went into the storage compartment on his bike and took out a camera. Never one to waste good lighting, he set the camera up for delayed snap and proceeded to take a number of pictures of them together and individually against the backdrop of their bikes and the blue Pacific. Erik was amused by Amir's activities and wished that he'd also remembered to bring his camera. When the sun had climbed a little higher, they decided to head back home to the city and enjoyed a leisurely ride back.

When they'd parked their bikes back in the car condo, Amir turned to remind Erik before he left, "Don't forget, this is the last week before the Christmas Gala, so we'll be having dress rehearsals. You'll get a schedule Monday."

As he took his leave, Erik took the elevator back up to his apartment.

_

* * *

Saturday night _

Christine had just finished dinner and decided to settle down with a good book, a thriller. She settled herself on the living room couch and surrounded herself with a glass of lemonade, snacks, napkins, cell phone, and laptop within easy reach. It was her intention to read tonight since she'd neglected it for so long, and she was determined to follow through, barring a trip to the hospital should anything unforeseen happen. It was about seven o'clock and she contently began reading as Pinecone lay in her lap asleep.

It was about seven-thirty when her laptop announced an instant message, and Christine looked up instantly, hoping it was Erik. It was Roan, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment.

SeraphM: Hi, sweetheart. Busy?

AriaMaven: Hi, Roan. Just reading.

SeraphM: I wanted to apologize for last night.

AriaMaven: Apologize?

SeraphM: Yes, for taking advantage of you. I'm sorry.

AriaMaven: You don't have to be sorry.

SeraphM: I don't? Why not?

Christine paused. She wasn't sure how to say it.

AriaMaven: Because I was glad you did it.

Roan looked at her reply and wondered what she really meant.

SeraphM: Why were you glad?

Christine had to think about it.

AriaMaven: Because I missed how it felt.

SeraphM: Christine, it's no secret now how I feel about you. I'd like to see you again.

AriaMaven: I value our friendship and I still want us to be friends, but I'm still with Erik.

SeraphM: But you haven't seen him in two weeks. Are you sure you're still together?

AriaMaven: No, but I'm still hoping things will work out.

SeraphM: I understand, but I want you to know I'll still be here for you. Don't forget that.

AriaMaven: Thank you. I won't forget.

_

* * *

Monday _

Erik had been in his studio most of the day composing and practicing his piece for the Gala, but when he went downstairs to the theater, he noticed a definite excitement in the air among the cast and crew. Rehearsals had been going smoothly for the past few weeks and cast members had been getting their costumes fitted for a week in preparation for tomorrow evening, the first day of dress rehearsals.

Erik made his way to the back of the theater towards the wardrobe department to find his tie and tails for playing his piece, and then the pair of snug-fitting black pants and flowing silk shirt to wear during his song. Fortunately, he was the only one to wear these pieces, so he knew they wouldn't have to be fitted. It was a large room filled to the rafters with costumes and accessories of every description, and there was no one back here now since it was later in the day, so he was free to look in peace for what he needed.

He'd been there looking through the racks for a few minutes when he thought he heard voices.

"No, that's quite all right, I'm sure I can find it myself."

_It was Joanna, and she sounded nervous._

"I know this theater like the back of my hand," said a mature, masculine voice. "No one knows it like I do."

"I'm a fast learner, I'm sure I can manage," she said nervously.

"How fast are you?" he asked. "You're European, aren't you? Yes…"

"Um, I really need to go…"

"Why don't you show me how fast of a learner you are?" he said as he approached. "I once knew a European woman, her name was Eva. You remind me of her."

"No, don't…"

"You don't have to be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you." He grabbed both of her arms gently, and directed her towards a chair.

"Don't…. Please let go of me…," she said worriedly, trying to pull away.

"Will you relax?" He held her tighter as he pulled her toward the chair.

"Let go of me!" She started to struggle against his grasp.

"You need to be more quiet. People will hear, and we don't want that now, do we?" He held her tight enough to bruise now as he tried to set her down in the chair.

Erik could hear the sounds of a struggle and it sounded as if Joanna were frantic.

"Let go of me! Let go of me!" she cried as she fought to escape him.

As Erik came upon the scene, he could see that Joanna was panicking and would soon hurt herself if she continued.

"What's going on here?" Erik stepped up and took her from the stage hand as he looked at him sternly.

The stagehand's eyes flickered between Joanna and Erik. Finally landing his gaze on Erik, he gave a small smile. "Nothing at all, Mr. Dupont. She just needed guidance, that's all." Without another word, but a slight nod towards Joanna, he quickly disappeared through the set construction.

Erik took her arm and led her away down the corridor. When they had moved far enough away, he took her into another room so she could calm herself. Joanna was still breathing rapidly and he could tell that she was still shaking.

"Joanna, are you all right?" he asked gently.

"I…I don't know what happened. I just don't like being grabbed like that."

"Henri is harmless, I'm sure he just wanted to be friendly and probably just went a little overboard. But maybe you'd better stay away from that department for awhile."

Joanna nodded, holding her arms to keep from shaking. "I was just looking for the wardrobe department and got turned around," she said haltingly.

"Stay here and I'll get you some water."

But before he could leave, Joanna unexpectedly grabbed his arm. "No, please don't go! Don't leave me here!"

Erik was surprised at Joanna's death grip on his arm. "It's all right," he tried to assure her. "He won't come in here, you'll be fine."

"No, don't leave me!" Joanna grabbed him around the waist tightly and laid her head on his chest. "I don't have anyone!" she cried.

Erik was surprised by her fear and put his arms around her, hoping to calm her. He'd forgotten that she'd come to this country alone and that everyone she knew and loved was half a world away. He could feel her trembling, and could tell by her breathing that she was still shaken. He gently stroked her hair and tried to shush her.

After awhile, she seemed to calm down and she relaxed her grip on him somewhat.

"Do you feel better now?" he asked gently as he looked down at her.

Joanna nodded and raised her head, and as she looked up at him, proffered a gentle kiss on his lips.

Erik was stunned. Her lips were so soft and unassuming…

As he stood there frozen in shock, she noticed his confusion and kissed him again, just as softly, but this time, gently lingering.

_She feels wonderful…so wonderful…_

As the kiss continued, his lips parted, and he felt her tongue enter his mouth and caress his tongue gently. It was wonderful.

He could feel himself responding to her…

_

* * *

Tuesday _

As she dusted the last shelf and replaced the merchandise, Christine thought sadly to herself that she may as well face reality. It'd been over two weeks and she hadn't heard a single word from Erik. That could only mean that he was no longer interested in her. All those words of love, all of their shared experiences…in the end, they were just memories. But how could he forget her so easily? _He said he loved me! How can someone forget so easily? _

It was almost time to close the store for the night and even as she began putting things away, she could feel the heaviness in her heart and the dull pain that always accompanied it whenever she thought of Erik. She wondered how she'd ever get over him. The door chimes sounded, and as she looked up, saw that it was Roan. He looked rather somber as he approached the counter.

"Hi, sweetheart," he said as he kissed her on the cheek as had become his custom when greeting her. "What's the matter? This is your second to the last day at the store, I thought you'd look happier," he smiled gently.

Christine felt like her heart was bleeding, so painful was her sadness. She didn't look at him when she replied sadly, "It's been over two weeks, and I haven't heard from him."

Roan went to her and placed his arms around her. "I'm sorry, baby. Sometimes things just work out that way. But it'll get better, I promise."

Christine shook her head. "I know, but it just doesn't seem that way right now. I could have stayed with him forever."

She sighed and then went back to closing up the store. She locked the door and turned out the lights as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. "I just don't know what to do with myself now. He was everything to me."

"Would you like some company? Maybe we could watch a movie or something? I promise I won't attack you," he said with a smirk.

"Thanks, I'd like that."

They walked into her apartment building and climbed up the stairs. Christine took out her keys and they entered her apartment.

Erik was parked on the street, but directly in front of the store this time. His tinted windows rendered him invisible, but he was close enough to hear everything. _She thinks I've abandoned her. Oh, Christine…if only you knew. That boy has gained her trust and has gained access to her apartment. He can't wait to make Christine his own. If only there were another way… _

Roan make himself comfortable on her living room couch as Christine went into her bedroom. "I'll be right out, I'm just going to change."

"Take your time," he called. As he sat waiting, he noticed the picture on the side table and picked it up to get a closer look. It was Christine and Erik Dupont in a hammock. He had to admit, it was a nice picture. He noticed that Erik's perfect side faced the camera and that he looked quite handsome. It was hard to believe that the man in the hammock with Christine was the same man who'd threatened him.

Christine came out of the bedroom dressed in a pair of comfortable terry shorts and matching top. It was obvious she just wanted to take her ease tonight and then go to bed. "Would you like some lemonade?" she asked.

"That'd be fine," he replied. He found that he just enjoyed being with her and didn't have to resort to seducing her. His day would come soon enough.

She prepared glasses of lemonade for both of them and set them on the coffee table as she looked over her collection of DVDs. "What would you like to see? Drama, adventure, science fiction, mystery…?"

"Whatever you want is fine with me, babe," he replied.

"Okay," and she popped in a mystery called The Game. "This is a mystery I think you'll like," she smiled.

As the movie progressed, Christine noticed that she and Roan never discussed a movie as it played like she and Erik used to do, critiquing the acting, directing, writing, and cinematography. She missed that, and the more she thought of it, realized that she missed so many other things that had become second nature for she and Erik to do together. As the movie played on, her mind wandered, and without realizing it, tears had started to run down her face.

When Roan looked over at her, he noticed her staring blankly at the TV while tears had left tracks down her cheeks and gathered at her chin. He hated to see her cry although he was glad she was no longer with Erik, and he gently stroked her hair from behind so that he could hold her in his arms and comfort her. Although she was grieving for another man, he intended to be there for her the moment she recovered.

Christine was grateful for Roan's comfort, and it felt good to have his arms hold and comfort her. Her heart was breaking, but she still couldn't believe that Erik was truly out of her life. She buried her face in Roan's chest as he held and rocked her gently. It felt so good to be held by him in his strong arms, and she could smell his cologne. _It's nothing like Erik's _she thought. She raised her head slightly to look at him, and he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She was about to move off of the couch to put the movie away since they weren't watching it when unexpectedly, his lips claimed hers again, and lingered.

Christine was confused. Should she be doing this? Was Erik truly out of her life? _But he feels so wonderful. Erik's gone, but Roan's always been here for me. Roan cares for me… _

And so she began to kiss him back slowly, until his tongue pushed gently into her mouth and she felt his passion trying unsuccessfully to hold itself back. She raised her hand and ran her fingers through his hair, her arms going around him, and he deepened his kiss, his tongue entwining with hers. He unconsciously began to reach under her top, and finding that she was braless, squeezed one of her breasts and ran his fingers over her nipple.

"Christine, I want you," he whispered hoarsely.

She wanted it, too, desperately, needed it, but it was wrong…the timing was all wrong. She couldn't do this until she knew for certain that Erik was out of her life. "No…no, I can't do this," she whispered, distressed. "I'm sorry."

Roan stopped immediately. He withdrew his hand from under her top and stood. He walked into the kitchen.

Christine smoothed her clothing and sat up, conflicting emotions running through her. She wanted desperately for Erik to call her or IM her, or get in touch with her in some way. Roan wanted her, but she only wanted him for the comfort he could provide. She knew she didn't love him, he was just a friend. She didn't want to use him in this way. _Erik, where are you? _

Christine stood up and looked toward the kitchen. She'd seen Roan go in there, but she couldn't hear anything. When she walked into the kitchen, she saw Roan leaning against the counter, motionless. She walked up to him quietly and placed a hand on his arm. "Roan?"

His eyes had been closed, but at the sound of her voice, he opened them and breathed deeply. He slowly shook his head. "Christine," he whispered. "I think you know how I feel about you, but I'll never do anything until you're ready."

Christine rested her head against his arm. "I know you won't. I'm sorry."

Roan turned around to kiss her gently, and then left as Christine slowly closed and locked the door behind him. As he left her building and made his way back to his car, his thoughts were in turmoil. _How long can I do this? I've never had to wait on any woman before. They couldn't wait for me to fuck them, and it never even mattered if they had boyfriends. But Christine's not like them. Erik still has a hold on her even though he's out of the picture now. But he won't for long. I'll see to that._

* * *

Erik looked on as Roan got into his car and drove away. _The boy wasn't in there for more than an hour. He obviously didn't get what he wanted. Good. Christine is still mine. _


	29. One More Time

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers. And to my great story editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover, a special thank you for your contributions to this chapter.It could not have happened without you.

Chapter 29

One More Time

_Wednesday_

Erik worked steadily in his studio, but when he'd get tired, he'dswitch between developing new scores and practicing for the Christmas Gala. During his breaks he would go out onto his rooftop garden and sit under the umbrella, feeling the breeze and imagining the sound of the waves in the distance. The theater downstairs seemed oddly quiet during the day since the start of dress rehearsals the day before and because the rehearsals always took place in the evenings. The props and set construction departments were busy during the morning and afternoon, and at night would arrive the cast and backstage crew.

The Christmas Gala was just a few days away, and although these events never caused him pause, Erik knew that most of the cast and even the crew were nervous and excited due to it being Christmas and the VIPs that were expected to attend this once-a-year spectacle. He wondered what piece Christine would sing for her solo. Although the programs for the Gala had already been printed, he hadn't bothered to look at it, but he knew that his parts in the program would not show his name nor identify him in any way, for that was how he'd wanted it. It always caused a stir, but it would eventually die down and his anonymity would still be more or less intact.

He thought back to the events of last night – seeing Roan and Christine go up to her apartment, and then Roan leaving early. He smirked just thinking about it. He wondered how long Christine would be able to hold out before she succumbed to the boy's charms. _I can just imagine the subtle pressure that puppy must be exerting in order to sway her…_

He shook his head to get the images out of his mind. He didn't want to dwell on the inevitable conclusion to this line of thought and instead thought about his encounter with Joanna just two days ago. He'd been stunned when she'd kissed him, but it wasn't just her kiss which surprised him, but his reaction to it. She'd felt so incredible, and when her tongue penetrated his lips, it was so exquisite that he'd had to respond to her, it would have been impossible not to. At the time, he'd wanted to take her, but only because of his desperate longing for Christine whom he thought of constantly, his only respite being his time in the studio. But at all other times, he imagined making love to Christine, kissing her, and holding her. The nights were the most difficult of all since there were fewer distractions, and he would inevitably have to relieve himself or lie awake for days on end in his self-imposed purgatory. He longed to kiss her soft lips, and to again feel the velvety softness that was inside her. She was never far from his thoughts despite his best efforts to forget.

He walked back inside to the kitchen and poured a small glass of orange juice. As he passed the living room, he spied the gift wrapped package that Joanna had given him three weeks ago and which he'd left on one of the coffee tables. Since he rarely received gifts, he'd forgotten about it, but now that he saw it, felt that he should open it.

As he sat on one of the couches and began carefully unwrapping the package, he thought that it'd been a kind gesture, but totally unnecessary, for there was very little he needed. He didn't remember Joanna having purchased it at any of the shops they visited that day, but on the other hand, he hadn't been paying close attention to what she'd been doing. As the last of the paper and ribbon were removed, he opened the gift box and saw what appeared to be an ornately carved wooden block. As he lifted it out, he admired the fine finish and intricate carvings of Chinese cranes inlaid with mother-of-pearl. It was obviously quite costly. Although it appeared to be a finely finished wooden block, Erik knew immediately what it was. It was a Chinese mystery box.

Of all the things she could have gotten him, unbeknownst to her, this was one gift that Erik truly did appreciate. During his time in Persia, he'd been renown in the royal court for his abilities with magic and illusion, and he'd been successful in overturning the many tricks of the court magicians and devising his own, much to their chagrin. He'd seen mystery boxes before during his travels, but he'd never seen one as large or as ornate at the one he now held in his hands. Whereas most mystery boxes were quaint and were usually comprised of as many as six panels, he could imagine this one having as many as twelve.

As he studied it closely, turning it over in his hands, he appreciated the exquisite workmanship of it. It appeared absolutely seamless, but he knew there were panels throughout, and in the middle, a prize. He wondered what was in the middle of this one and he shook it gently, and then harder. He didn't hear anything nor did he feel any shifting of weight from within. He was intrigued.

He loved puzzles like this and smiled as he started to press the sides to move them parallel to the surface. Nothing moved, and it was as solid as when he started. Since the sides would not move, the next logical step was to press down on the sides to uncover a trap, and so he began pressing down on the most likely areas to be rigged. The box was not easily giving up its secrets. Now Erik was having fun. He smiled as he turned the box over and over in his hands, looking at it closely. He peered carefully at the carvings and designs to see if they would provide a clue, they didn't.

He looked at the beautiful cranes with the inlaid mother-of-pearl. _Is it possible…_

He looked closely at the mother-of-pearl that made up part of their wings and noticed their symmetric alignment. Acting on a hunch, he pressed down on a spot on the wings of both cranes, and immediately, a small panel opened outward from the center of the block. _Very clever… _

He pulled the panel out as far as it would go until it stopped. He then gently tried to find another movable panel, which he eventually did, but in an unexpected configuration. This mystery box was full of surprises and was obviously made by no ordinary craftsman. He made a mental note to thank Joanna for this unique gift.

By the time he was close to the innermost chamber, he had opened a total of sixteen panels, traps, and false openings which had sent him on wild goose chases and closed off the next passage, causing him to backtrack in order to reopen the panel correctly. It had taken him three hours to get to this point, and he wasn't about to make another mistake and be delayed further from this most deserved prize. He was anxious now to make the right move and found that he was nervous. He smiled and reflected that he hadn't had this much fun with a puzzle in years.

As he felt around the interior of the space, he gently pushed and prodded, trying to find the final door, but to no avail. _Of course the final door would be the most difficult. _He pondered this carefully, noting that there was no space left for another panel or mechanism, yet there was obviously one more panel left. He suddenly had a thought. _What if…_

Rather than applying pressure or attempting to slide a panel open, he placed his fingers along the corner of an angle inside the box and slid his fingers upwards. This caused a panel to open upwards with his fingers for it was hinged on only one side, like a lid.

He had breached the final panel and was now looking into the innermost chamber, which looked to be just large enough to hold a pear. It was lushly padded in beautiful red silk embroidered with gold thread, and there, lying in the middle, carefully wrapped in more silk was the prize.

Erik looked at it and slowly reached in, carefully picking it up. Whatever it was had weight, but was small, probably no larger than an egg, yet it felt irregular within the folds of the fabric. Erik slowly unwrapped it and held the object in his hand. It was an exquisite sandstone flower. It was white and polished to a high luster. The flower was very delicately shaped and realistic, considering the difficult medium, and Erik admired its incredibly fine detailing. As he stared at it, a tiny thought seemed to niggle in the back of his mind…

* * *

It was already six-thirty in the evening and it was becoming dark outside. Erik had wanted to wrap up the few pieces he was working on before calling it a day, so he began playing and composing again. As he developed his music in steps, he was noticing it was consistently going off in another direction. Instead of the flowing melancholy from earlier, it was now becoming somewhat sensuous, even erotic, as though his subconscious were leading him down a different road. When he first noticed this, he would stop and begin again, only to realize he'd returned to the same erotic strains. When he'd done this a number of times, he decided to stop and set his work aside for the next day for it was obvious nothing would get done tonight. 

As he put away his work and straightened up the studio, he again thought of Christine. He wondered if she'd seen that science fiction movie at the Rialto. He would have loved to surprise Christine with a private screening in his home. Due to his connections, he was able to get first run movies just for the asking, and he was sure Christine would have been thrilled. And after the movie, they would have gone to bed and made love before falling asleep. He thought again about the many times they'd made love, and the many different ways, yet each time was like the first… magical and surreal, like a dream come true. He never took it for granted, and he loved making love to her each time. How he'd missed her these last few weeks.

He sighed and decided to go downstairs to watch the dress rehearsals for awhile. He went and sat in the last row of the balcony as he had the other day, and noticed the buzz of activity down below. Amir was busy preparing the orchestra while the actors and dancers milled around, waiting for their cues.

As the dress rehearsal got under way, Erik thought it went rather well. As usual, Victoria was the lead soprano, but he noticed that Joanna's voice actually had more promise. _If she stays around, she could very well move into the number one spot…unless Christine come on board. _Erik believed Christine's voice to be superior to either Victoria or Joanna's. He thought about Christine coming to audition at the Phil, and then began to have other daydreams about Christine…

By the time Erik shook himself from his thoughts, dress rehearsal was over and the cast and crew were starting to disburse. Erik couldn't believe he'd been lost in thought for over three hours. When everyone had finally left the stage area, he made his way back down to the first level.

It was after ten o'clock and just about everyone was gone, so he walked quietly through the corridors to the wardrobe department to again look for his costumes. He actually enjoyed coming down here when there was no one else around because it was the only time he could look closely at the many beautiful costumes that had been made through the years for every production number. He was sure the audience would have been amazed to see just how much detail went into each costume. As much time as it took to create each one, it was worth it when one was able to see the magnificent creation just as well from the back row of the balcony as from the front.

As he searched through the rows of men's formalwear, his mind again wandered to Christine. He imagined making love to her here amidst the racks of costumes and how wonderful she would look as he ravished her…

He suddenly heard someone enter through the door at the far end of the room. Erik paid no mind to the sound of footsteps and continued his search, for it could have been anyone searching for another piece to their costume.

"I thought I saw you come in here," said a feminine voice directly behind him.

Erik turned and was surprised to see Joanna standing before him, still in costume as a 19th century French bar maid. His thoughts went immediately back to a couple days ago when he'd 'rescued' her from Henri, one of the set construction crew. She'd been so grateful at the time that she'd kissed him, deeply, and he'd been surprised to feel himself reacting to her strongly, and kissed her back. When it was over, he was deeply embarrassed for having given in to his urges so easily before this beautiful young woman. He apologized and quickly took his leave, trying to avoid her for the next few days. He felt he should have known better, being her employer and many years her senior. He still felt the traces of his embarrassment now as he stood before her and could feel his face becoming warm.

"I hope I'm not interrupting you from what you were doing," she began.

"No, I was just looking for a costume. What are you doing here so late?" He actually wished she'd leave so he wouldn't be reminded of his earlier embarrassment.

"I saw you come in here and I wanted to apologize for the other day."

"Apologize?"

"Yes," she said hesitantly. "Um, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, but I guess I was just so scared and I was really glad you were able to rescue me. I know now that he probably didn't mean any harm, but I just freaked out because I really don't have anyone here, and I saw at you as my friend."

Erik felt badly for her. As beautiful and as outgoing as she initially appeared, she was actually shy and alone in a new country. "That's quite all right, you don't need to apologize. I'm glad I was able to help."

"Are you still seeing Ms. Karlsson?" she asked unexpectedly.

Erik was surprised she would ask, but didn't wish to make a big deal of it. "No, I don't think so. I haven't seen her for a few weeks."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I meant it when I said I'd like to go sight-seeing again, or anywhere else, if you'd like," she said hopefully as she took a step closer to where he stood.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said automatically. _She's so beautiful._

"We've been so busy with rehearsals that I really haven't had a chance to get to know many people, and I haven't been able to get out much." She took another step and was quite close to him now.

Erik thought she looked quite alluring in her costume. Her hair was piled atop her head with wisps undone on either side, and her perfume was intoxicating, affecting him like a drug. Her costume was that of a common bar maid, but in keeping with the era, her neckline was cut low and her breasts were pushed up attractively. "I think we've all been very busy getting ready for the Gala," he said, not really thinking of his answers.

She was directly in front of him now. "Yes, in just a few more days, I'll be on stage here for the first time. I can hardly wait," she whispered as she lifted her head and caught his lips in a gentle, tentative kiss.

Erik couldn't move so unexpected was her action, but Joanna's lips were soft, and sweet. He felt like he'd been parched in a desert and he'd been given a much needed drink to quench his thirst. He felt her arms go around him as she deepened her kiss, and his arms went around her as well, and he could feel her slender form melting into his embrace. Her tongue pushed into his mouth and sensuously caressed his. She felt so wonderful, tasted wonderful, and he could feel her holding onto him tightly, her breasts pressing against him. Her tongue worked its wonderful magic and he could feel his arousal begin to grow, and his breathing deepen. Joanna was kissing him deeply, wantonly, and he was soon kissing her just as deeply.

He knew he shouldn't be, but for his need he couldn't stop. He'd tried desperately to keep busy these last few weeks in order to keep his mind from betraying his emotions, yet his body wouldn't be fooled in this way. He'd been irritable and had snapped at Amir unnecessarily, and at night, he would be close to climbing the walls. Even his attempts to relieve himself had ultimately failed, for it wasn't the same, nor was it enough.

So lost was he now in Joanna's delirious kiss that he was hardly aware of her hand gently stroking the front of his trousers until she'd squeezed his member through the fabric, causing him to draw in his breath sharply. She continued to kiss him as she carefully unbuckled his belt and released his zipper. He broke the kiss abruptly and whispered, "Joanna…"

She covered his lips again with a gentle kiss and whispered, "Shhh…let it happen…"

He felt her warm hands reach for him and her fingers wrap themselves around his erect member as her tongue caressed his, and when she pulled her lips away, she slowly knelt before him. When she took him into her mouth it was as though he were struck by a jolt of electricity, and an unexpected groan fell from his lips. He hadn't realized until this moment just how desperately he needed this.

He felt her warm lips surround him and her tongue run along his slides and tip, sending unbelievable sensations through him. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, hardly believing that this could be happening. As she sucked his shaft sensuously, her other hand grasped his testicles and squeezed them gently, causing an even greater reaction. Her head moved back and forth along with the hand that held him, and he could feel a gradual building within his groin. Another moan inadvertently left his lips, and Joanna took this as encouragement to suck harder. Her goal was to bring him to mind-numbing orgasm, and she moved her head back and forth faster along his shaft.

_God, it's so good. I need it...I have to... _Erik knew that he was on the verge of exploding unless he put a stop to this immediately. With unexpected strength, he pulled away from her abruptly, turning away and leaning against a rack, breathing raggedly, attempting to gather himself.

"Erik?" Joanna looked up at him. "What's wrong?"

He took a deep breath and turned to look down at her. "I…I'm sorry. I can't do this…" He took his leave and walked quickly back to his apartment.

Joanna watched him walk away. _Why did he leave, he was almost there? _She stood and smoothed her costume. _He's having trouble with Christine. He was enjoying this, I know he'll come back…he won't be able to stop himself…_

* * *

Erik hurriedly unlocked his door and walked into his living room. Anubis meowed as she looked over and saw her master approaching. 

He went over to the coffee table where he'd set the Chinese mystery box and picked up the sandstone flower. As he looked at it, he finally saw it. The middle of it was a replica of the female genitalia. _Very clever…_ he thought.

He was quite aware of the power of suggestion, having used it extensively in his former profession. A thought, unknowingly implanted in the subconscious, would embed and work itself into other thoughts, secretly working its way to the surface until innocently acted upon. _I've been had_ he smiled appreciatively. Not an easy thing to do in his case, so he had to admire the fact that she'd succeeded. He doubted that she even realized the sophistication of her plan, but one didn't have to be a trained assassin to excel in stealth.

He set the flower down and walked over to the window. The city lights looked beautiful tonight. He thought about Joanna and about this evening. She was so beautiful and passionate, and she obviously wanted him. He could have taken her easily, and he'd wanted to, desperately. After three weeks, he needed to…but he didn't. Why?

_Christine…_

* * *

"That had to be the funniest movie I'd seen all year!" Christine laughed. 

"I'm glad you liked it. Next time, let's try for horror." Roan got up and put the DVD back in its case. "I'd better get home, gotta get up early tomorrow for a test run. Just three more days till the Gala!"

"Okay, and thank you for dinner and the Christmas present." She gestured toward his gift under the cheerful little tree in a corner of her apartment what was now lit with multi-colored bulbs. There were just a few gifts under the tree and a couple potted poinsettia plants on the tables, but Christine had found the tradition of decorating for Christmas comforting. She walked him to the door and then closed it behind him. She was still smiling as she picked up the remaining glasses and dishes. She rinsed them and was about to place them in the dishwasher when there was a knock at her door.

She dried her hands and went to look out the peephole. It was Roan, and she opened it with a smile. "Did you forget something?"

"Yeah, I did. I forgot to kiss you goodnight," he said with a sly smile, "and to thank you for my gift."

Christine giggled. "You're welcome, and far be it from me to deny my prince a goodnight kiss." And she placed a tender kiss upon his lips.

"Goodnight, sweetheart, and merry Christmas," he smiled as he made his way toward the stairs.

"Goodnight, merry Christmas." Christine smiled as she locked the door and went back to the kitchen. _What a crazy guy_ she smiled. She was glad she'd done all of her Christmas shopping throughout the year. That way she never had to do any last-minute shopping for gifts. Once the dishwasher was filled, she dried her hands and was about to turn off the lights to go to bed when there was another knock on the door. _Now what's he forgotten?_

She went over with a grin as she unlocked the door and was going to tease him about his forgetfulness. "Roan, now what…"

The moment the door was opened, she froze, the smile sliding off her face. It was Erik. He was dressed in his signature black, with a grey herringbone sports coat, his white mask and his hair hanging down both sides of his face. He looked wonderful. She was shocked and could only stare, her heart pounding.

"May I come in?" he asked softly.

Christine couldn't respond other than to open the door wider, a signal for him to enter. As he walked past her into the apartment, she closed the door but couldn't take her eyes from him, as though she were afraid he were an apparition that could fade away at any moment.

He turned around and faced her, looking deeply into her eyes. He took a step towards her, and noticing that she didn't pull away, decided to take a chance and placed his arms around her in a tight hug.

Christine was still shell-shocked, in total disbelief that he was here. She slowly raised her arms and hugged him back, but lightly.

Erik noticed this and realized that he couldn't blame her. No word, no message or communication for three weeks. She had no idea where she stood. As he released her, he asked, "Could we sit down?"

Christine nodded and motioned toward the couch, but before she sat, asked automatically, "Can I get you something to drink?"

Erik looked up at her, thinking _How typical for her to think of her guest's comfort, even at a time like this. _"No thank you, I'm fine."

Christine came over and sat on the far side of the couch, looking at him uncertainly. _Why does he always look so incredible? _she thought

Erik looked at her gently, he wasn't sure how to begin. "How've you been?"

_How've I been? How do you think I've been! IT'S BEEN HELL! _"I've been fine."

He didn't know what to say, so he stood, figuring that the thoughts might come to him easier this way. He noticed the Christmas tree in the corner complete with lights and trim. He walked towards it, admiring the obvious love that went into the hanging of the antique ornaments and lights, and then walked to her window, which was slightly opened but covered by a curtain, and shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "You're on my mind all the time. I can't do anything without you being there."

Christine sat there silently, looking at him. There was nothing she could say.

He turned around finally and looked at her. "Christine, I have to have you in my life. I need you, I can't do this without you. I wanted to ask you if you could forget the mask and just be with me?" There, he'd said it. It was all out in the open, and now it just depended on her.

Christine was shocked. She didn't know what she expected, but it wasn't this. As she looked up at him, his eyes seemed to be pleading. _He wants me…he wants me! _But if she ever questioned his mask again, would he leave her again?

"What if I can't forget the mask?" she asked honestly. She had to know.

Erik sighed deeply and raised his hands helplessly, turning back to the window again. He'd known this was a very real possibility, but he didn't have any answers for her. He didn't know what he'd do if she couldn't forget it. "I don't know."

Christine knew there was only one answer, and that it was the same one she'd always had. She rose from the couch and stood near him. She spoke quietly. "I already told you, you're the love of my life. I'll never leave you unless you tell me to go."

Erik heard her. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _Thank you, thank you. _He turned to face the woman he loved and studied her, noting that her face was serene, a product of her unshakable conviction. He raised his hand and stroked her face, for he thought he'd never feel it again. He slowly bent his head to tenderly kiss her, and she raised up to meet his lips with her own. It was like coming home. He raised his arms to hold her, and Christine held him in her arms tightly. Their kiss deepened, but it wasn't a kiss of passion, it was one of gratitude. "I love you, Christine, god, I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too, baby," she whispered. _Thank you…_

They stood there for a long while just holding one another, not making a move to sit or to let go. They needed to hold one another and know that it was real, each thinking that this was the greatest Christmas present they could ever hope for.

"Christine," he whispered.

"Yes?"

"May I take you to breakfast tomorrow morning?"

"I'd love that," she smiled.

"Then I'll pick you up at nine." He looked down at her and gently ran his thumb over her bottom lip. "I love you."

"I love you, too, babe."

Erik kissed her again before he left, and she slowly closed the door and locked it behind him with a smile, her heart fit to bursting with happiness.

* * *

Roan had been walking towards his car after he'd kissed Christine goodnight, but when he turned around, he saw Erik enter her apartment building. Roan walked quickly back to her building and wondered what to do. He looked across the street and saw Erik's car. There was an unlighted walkway between Christine's apartment building and the building next door, so he quietly walked down it until he stood beneath the windows that he thought must belong to Christine. From this vantage point he could also see Erik's SUV. Although he couldn't see into her second story apartment, each of the windows were slightly opened, so perhaps he could hear something. 

As he stood there looking up, he saw a shadow in the largest window a couple times. _That must be Erik in her living room. _He was able to hear some conversation although it was unclear, but he eventually saw two shadows come together. It was obvious they were either hugging or kissing. He was going through a number of scenarios on what he should do now when he heard a door close from the front of the building. As he stared toward the street, he saw Erik walk across and get into his car and drive away. _He didn't stay with her tonight…is he back in her life? _

_It doesn't matter, it still won't last, because it can't._


	30. My Hero

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers for reviewing.

Chapter 30

My Hero

_Thursday_

Christine awoke slowly and remembered the night before. She stretched languorously with a grin on her face, immediately aware of how wonderful she felt this morning. The dark clouds that had loomed for the last three weeks were gone, everything was beautiful again, and Erik would be picking her up at nine to take her to breakfast! She glanced over at her clock and saw that it was just eight o'clock, and getting up, she decided to take a shower. She wanted to dress especially nicely this morning to match her mood.

She passed Pinecone on her way to the bathroom and stopped to ruffle her fur as she grinned madly, "I'm going out to breakfast this morning!" Pinecone tried to pull away.

Christine started the shower and hopped in, lathering her hair and deciding on what to wear. She was glad there was no more school for the rest of the week, and her afternoons and evenings were free now! She smiled at the thought, imagining all the free time on her hands. _And Roan said I'd die of boredom. _

_Roan! _This was the first time she'd even thought of him since seeing Erik last night, and she started to wonder how their relationship would fare now. Could they still be friends? But as she rinsed her hair and prepared to leave the shower, she was so happy that she just knew it would all work out somehow, just like he'd said it would.

As she wrapped her hair in a towel, she took the time to lotion herself with a rose-scented cream. She then dried and styled her hair attractively with the sides held back by colorful clips, and when she went to her closet, she knew just the outfit. It was another unusually sunny day for December although it was still quite chilly, so she decided to wear a midi-length skirt with low-heeled boots, an attractive, loose pullover sweater, and accessorize with some jewelry and a leather tote bag. She wore Erik's necklace as she always did, and then added a pair of earrings, a bracelet, and a wristwatch to finish the look. She wore just the right amount of make-up to give her a healthy, natural look, and then finished up with her favorite body spray.

As she got ready, she found herself wondering if Erik would want to sleep with her tonight now that they were together again. Before the previous three weeks, it seemed like they'd made love every chance they got, or at least Erik initiated it. She knew their relationship wasn't just about sex, but what if Erik wanted it and she didn't? He usually just grabbed her and she always went along with it willingly, but what if she didn't want to? She readily admitted that she'd been climbing the walls without him and that it only got worse as time went on, so she could only imagine how much worse it had to have been for him as a man. But after three weeks of no contact, she wondered if there shouldn't be some time to reconnect before becoming intimate again.

At exactly nine o'clock there was a knock at her door and Christine hopped up and opened it, smiling broadly. Erik was dressed casually today in a dark green shirt under a dark pullover sweater, a pair of dark pants, and slip-on loafers. She thought he looked wonderful, and she stepped forward to put her arms around him in a hug.

Erik thought Christine was a vision with her long, flowing brown tresses. He loved to see her in skirts and dresses and was glad she decided to wear one this morning and noticed that they were perfectly matched. He gathered her up in his arms and closed his eyes as he held her, thinking how wonderful she felt. He breathed in the clean, fresh fragrance of roses and pressed his face into her hair. "You look wonderful, my love," he murmured softly.

"You do, too, baby," she smiled beautifully.

They were soon driving north in the Ferrari and crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Christine was thrilled when she saw which car he'd brought for this one was her favorite.

It was a little after nine and it was another clear day. The water on either side of the bridge shown brightly in the morning sun and seagulls made their way out to sea as they called to one another.

Christine was turned in her seat toward Erik and they listened to mellow jazz as they drove north. She'd occasionally have her hand on his shoulder or on his thigh, but it seemed to Erik that she needed this physical contact to ensure that they were really together again, which was fine with him because he had no intention of leaving, ever again. The past three weeks had been incredibly difficult, for Christine had been on his mind almost constantly. His uncertainty over not seeing her had almost torn him apart, for unknown to her, she had been more than his crush for four years, she had been the very meaning of his life. He'd often heard that there was a fine line between genius and madness, but he'd never fully understood what that meant until very recently. When he'd finally realized the nature of his obsession borne from his exile from Christine, he'd understood just how fine a line it was.

It was hard to believe that his encounter with Joanna had occurred just last night. He'd been a hair's breadth away from taking her. Her plan had been brilliant, but it'd forced him to realize just how desperately he needed Christine. He'd gone to see her immediately after, and she'd taken him back.

They spoke infrequently as they drove northward, but Christine would look over at him from time to time. His masked side faced her, but she didn't care. She was just so glad that they were back together again. Christine noticed that the top buttons of his shirt were left stylishly unbuttoned. With his long hair blowing softly from the slightly opened window and his sunglasses, she thought he looked like a rock star.

They soon approached the other side of the bridge and drove into Sausalito proper. Christine had driven through the little town before, but had never stopped, so she loved that they were able to do this together this morning. As they pulled up to The Mudhen, they got out and walked up the steps to the screen door, which Erik opened for her. Christine was charmed by the small-town atmosphere of the diner and he led her to his usual booth in the back where they sat across from one another. Before long, a young waitress came by to leave them menus and place settings and she smiled at them brightly.

"I'd recommend their hash browns and eggs. It's to die for," Erik smiled over his menu.

When they placed their orders, they both ordered the hash browns, eggs, and orange juice, and true to his word, Christine thought they were just wonderful.

When they'd finished breakfast, they walked up to the counter so Erik could pay their bill, and Christine noticed their young waitress ringing up the check and occasionally glancing at Erik and smiling at him with nothing short of abject adoration.

"Thank you, Mr. Dupont, come back and see us again," she smiled cheerfully. "Merry Christmas!"

Christine smiled at her for she seemed to be a very sweet high school girl with a crush, and as they left, she also smiled sweetly at Christine.

"I think our waitress has a crush on you," she teased once they were back in the car.

Erik looked at her and smirked. "She's seen me before with Amir. I think it's Amir she has the crush on."

Christine doubted this very much from what she'd just seen and began to think about it. Whenever they'd gone out together, she'd always been very aware of the stares Erik would get from other women, although he seemed oblivious to it all. Even Roan was aware of attracting attention when she had gone out with him, yet Erik was by far much more attractive to her mind, not only physically, but because of how he carried himself. Whereas Roan took it all in stride, Erik honestly didn't seem to realize the effect he had on both men and women.

As they pulled away from The Mudhen, Erik drove into the town and down the main street, parking on a very quaint side street that seemed to be populated with antique stores.

"What are we doing here?" Christine asked as she looked up and down the street.

"Have you ever been antiquing, my dear?" Erik asked as he took her arm.

"Well, no, I've never had time," she said, looking at him curiously.

"Well, today you will," he smiled as they went down the sidewalk.

Christine was genuinely amazed. She didn't know of a single man in her entire life who'd ever enjoyed browsing antique stores, so she wondered if Erik was one of a rare breed…or if he was doing this just because they were together again? She decided to ask him.

"Erik…" she began slowly. "Why are you taking me antiquing?"

Erik stopped walking and faced her. He looked serious and said quietly, "I want to experience everything I can with you, my love. I don't want to lose an opportunity to enjoy something with you, because life is too short, and I love you too much."

Christine had wondered why she hadn't cried when Erik had come back into her life last night, as meaningful as it was. But now, hearing Erik say these words with such feeling struck a chord within her that opened the floodgates. Her eyes began to water, and a tear fell, and then another. Erik leaned forward and kissed her forehead as he hugged her, and she held him and finally began to sob.

"Oh, Erik…I love you so much," she whispered.

He held her for awhile until she was again composed. When she was ready, they walked into their first antique store, his favorite, which was called Francoise's Treasures.

The shop was large and high-ceilinged, and Christine could see that it seemed to be fashioned after a French salon. They carried wares typical of most antique stores, but everything seemed to have a French flair. As they walked among the displays, Christine noticed that Erik seemed more interested in antique music boxes and puzzles, whereas she was more interested in antique jewelry and clothing.

As they approached the clothing section, Christine was charmed by the fashions that looked as if they dated back to the 30's or 40's and began going through the racks. When she turned around to see what Erik was doing, she was surprised to see him going through racks of men's clothing that looked just as dated. Christine selected a few dresses to try on and saw that Erik was also busily collecting clothing to try. She'd only gone shopping with a man once, and that was with Rick, but after that one time, they'd never tried it again. Although it had been Rick's idea, once he found himself waiting for her several times to go through all the racks and then make up her mind, he'd become very impatient and cut their outing short, much to Christine's disappointment. She'd thought at the time that shopping was just not a man's forte, but seeing Erik shopping with her now, she was starting to change her mind.

By the time she'd made her choice, she'd decided on an attractive semi-formal dress made out of a light fabric that had a flared skirt and white trim, and she'd also found a pair of low-heeled pumps that matched them perfectly, as well as some antique jewelry. She imagined looking like someone who might have gone out on the town in the Big Apple before the war.

She gathered her find and took them up to the counter, ready to spend a small fortune, when Erik suddenly appeared behind her and placed his things next to hers and said, "We'll take these items."

Christine was surprised because she hadn't seen him behind her nor had she planned on Erik buying clothes for her. "Erik, you don't have to do that," she said quickly.

"Of course not, but I want to," he smiled gently, and that smile quickly ended any further discussion.

When they left the store and were again walking down the street, Christine said softly, "Erik, thank you for getting the clothes for me. I really didn't expect you to buy them for me."

Erik put his arm around her waist as they walked to the car. They put their packages in the trunk and then prepared to leave, but before they did, Erik turned to her.

"Christine, I want you to get used to me buying things for you. I know you'd like to do it yourself, but that's what I appreciate about you. You're not like a lot of woman who take advantage of a boyfriend's wealth, so I know you're not after me for my money. Believe me, I've met many women who were, but you're not like that." And he gave her a tender peck on the lips.

As they pulled out, they drove along the Pacific Coast Highway and then took a frontage road along the water. They got out at an attractive rest stop that had grass and picnic tables and went for a walk. The sun was out and it had even gotten warm, so they took off their shoes and walked along the shoreline and got their feet wet as the waves came up to the shore. Christine loved the beach and would run up to the water as the tide would recede and then run back up when the next wave would thunder toward her. She would smile or laugh when she got wet, and Erik would grin broadly as he watched her antics. He loved how she was so full of life, but then protested when she started dragging him toward the water, seeming intent on getting him wet as well. When she wouldn't relent, he did the only thing he could then to keep from getting soaked as a particularly large wave made its way towards them. He surprised her by picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and she screamed as he playfully spanked her and shouted, "Quiet, wench! This is your punishment for trying to wet the king!"

They laughed and shouted at each other as he carried her this way for awhile until he finally set her down. On their walk back to the car, Christine again began collecting the few sea shells she found and took them back with her. When they'd gotten back to the picnic table, Erik got his digital camera from the car and began taking pictures of Christine alone and with him with the waves behind them.

It was a wonderful morning spent in each other's company, and Christine thought how much she'd missed this. She loved being with Erik and knew she'd rather be in his company than with anyone else in the world. He could be serious certainly, but his times of mirth and laughter were so precious that she wished she could record every moment.

Erik was also having a wonderful time with Christine. How he'd missed her! He loved just being with her, in her presence, and the loving vibrations he felt whenever she looked at him would cause his heart to bubble with such tender affection that he felt he could just eat her up. He was at his best when he was with her for she brought out the best in him, and he never felt this way at any other time. _So this is what it's like to be madly in love _he thought happily as he looked out at the ocean.

He pocketed the camera when he'd finished taking pictures and walked over to a water fountain to get a drink as Christine followed close behind. As he bent over the faucet for the water, Christine gently turned the handle for him and the water shot up forcefully in a powerful stream, drenching his entire face and his shirt. Christine gasped in surprise and immediately let go of the handle as Erik remained bent over the faucet, dripping wet. He wasn't smiling. She covered her mouth with a shocked expression as Erik straightened, water dripping from his hair and mask. He looked at her stonily and turned to her. _Is he blaming me? _

Christine backed away slowly as he approached her, his eyes burning into her. She ran for it, out onto the sand again. As she ran, she'd look behind to see if Erik was chasing her. He was, and when she saw that he was closing in, she screamed and tried to run faster. Erik easily caught up to her and roared as he grabbed her, and she screamed again, trying to get away. He held her fast in his arms and began biting her, vampire-style, as she screamed and laughed all at once. Erik was growling and roaring as he went, biting her neck and finally sweeping her up in his arms as he kissed her deeply. He could hear the waves breaking in the background and the gulls calling … He carried her back to the car in his arms as she rested her head against his shoulder. She loved being carried like this….like he was her hero…

As they drove back over the Golden Gate Bridge, she eventually realized that Erik was driving her home. They parked in front of Madame Wu's, but as they got out, he led her down the street to Burrito Express.

"Christine! Back so soon?" called Mrs. Garcia with her broad smile.

"Hi, Mrs. Garcia. I'll have a vegetarian burrito and an orange soda."

"And I'll have two chicken tacos and an iced tea," Erik smiled cordially.

Mrs. Garcia looked at him and smiled genially. She liked this man for some reason, most likely because he was with Ms. Karlsson. "Alejandro! Un burrito vegetariano y un soda de naranja, y dos tacos de pollo y un te helado!"

"One vegetarian burrito and orange soda, and two chicken tacos and an iced tea!" he echoed from the kitchen.

Christine smiled at all this yelling and turned to look at Erik. He was apparently amused by it as well, judging by his smile.

After a few minutes, Alex came out with a paper bag and their food. "Hi, Christine! Long time no see," he teased.

"Hi, Alex, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Erik Dupont."

Alex smiled and extended his hand, but seemed to have a gleam in his eye. _"Dónde usted has estado toda mi vida, hermoso? (Where have you been all my life, handsome?)_

Erik smiled back and said with a wink, _"El ocultar." (Hiding.)_

Alex seemed to like this answer and smiled at him beautifully as they took their leave.

Christine was amazed at their easy exchange. "Erik! You never told me you could speak Spanish! And your accent is amazing!"

"Well, you never asked," he replied modestly.

"So what did he say?" Christine was anxious to know.

"He just wanted to get to know me better," he smirked.

Christine raised her eyebrows in amusement but decided she'd best leave that one alone.

They walked up to her apartment and set a couple place settings at the table so they could have their lunch. Pinecone walked under the table after they'd gotten seated and began rubbing up against Erik's legs.

"Pinecone, stop that!" Christine tried to shoo her away.

"That's all right, cherie," Erik smiled. "She just wants to make friends."

As Pinecone came out from under the table, she said, "Yeah, Christine, I like Erik a lot! Let's have a sleepover at his place!"

Christine looked wryly over at Erik.

"What?" he asked innocently.

Christine snorted and just shook her head. "Honestly…"

When they finished lunch, Christine wondered what they would do now as she cleared the table. It was almost two o'clock.

"Did you have any plans for this afternoon, cherie?" Erik asked as he sat in the living room. Pinecone hopped up onto his lap and he began to pet her.

"No, I really didn't. School's out until January and I'm not working any more, so I'm totally free." Christine liked the sound of that. She came over and sat next to Erik and scratched Pinecone behind her ears.

She noticed Erik looking at her, or perhaps staring. "What?"

Erik continued looking, but gently shook his head. "Nothing, my love. I just enjoy looking at you," he said quietly. He took her hand in his and gently kissed the backs of her fingers.

Christine noted the tenderness with which he did this and a lump began forming in her throat. _We came so close this time…I was so afraid it was over. Please, God, make it work…_

Erik's eyes met hers, and as he leaned over to kiss her, she met him half way and they shared a kiss that held for them all the meaning in the world.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too, cherie," he answered softly.

Erik suddenly stood and took her hand. "Come on, let's go."

"Where are we going?" Christine wondered what he planned this time. Whatever it was, she knew she wouldn't be bored for Erik was anything but boring.

"We're going to the movies," he stated firmly, "to see a matinee."

"Oh, okay!" There was only one movie she wanted to see, so she wondered if that'd be where he'd take her this afternoon. At least she hoped it would be.

They made their way down to Erik's car again and took off. This would be the first time they'd been to a movie together. Christine loved it whenever they'd do something for the first time together. It seemed meaningful.

As they drove through town, Christine wondered which theater they'd be going to since the Rialto was in the other direction. When Erik pulled up to his enclosed parking stall under the Phil, Christine was really confused, but rather than say anything, decided to see what Erik had planned.

They rode the elevator up to his apartment, and when they got out in his living room, Christine saw that Erik was making himself comfortable.

"Have a seat, my love," he called. "I'll be right with you."

She sat on one of the couches and waited for him. She noticed that the floor-to-ceiling windows were covered today by blinds and wondered why. When Erik returned several minutes later, he had changed into more casual at-home attire and brought with him a tray of delicious snacks and beverages. As they made themselves comfortable on the couch, Erik started the movie.

As it began, Christine realized that it was the science-fiction thriller that was playing at the Rialto! _How the hell did he get a private copy? _She was so excited that she almost spilled her drink when she started at the opening credits.

"Oh, Erik!" she beamed. "I can't believe you actually got this for me! Thank you!" And she leaned over and kissed his face repeatedly. She noticed he'd also provided her with popcorn, candy, and hot dogs to have with her movie! _Erik has got to be the most perfect boyfriend in the world _she thought.

So for the next two hours and fifty minutes, they watched the movie, or Erik did. Christine, in rare form, screamed, hid, covered her face, and practically died from the suspense as Erik again became her protector, a role he enjoyed immensely and had missed for the past few weeks.

When it was over, Christine seemed positively spent, but happy. She turned to Erik with a broad grin. "Thank you, that was a _great _movie!" and she kissed him again. They cleaned their area and Erik put on some soft music as they returned to the couch to discuss the movie, the acting, the directing, and special effects. It was so much fun talking about the finer points of film-making that they eventually fell asleep on the couch in each others arms.

Erik woke up a few hours later to a quiet house, and he was pleased to find Christine still asleep in his arms when he opened his eyes. He pressed his nose to her hair and smelled the fragrance of roses. He squeezed her body slightly as she slept so he could feel her form next to him. How he'd missed this. It was so peaceful now, just the two of them in his apartment, him holding her as she slept. He wanted to remember this rare moment of quiet and solitude. He shifted slightly so he could cup her breast with his hand, and he squeezed it gently as she slept, running his thumb over her nipple. _She feels so wonderful. I so want to touch you again, Christine…I want to make love to you… _Suddenly, she moved slightly and made a soft noise. As she took another breath, he heard it again. He smiled when he realized that Christine was snoring! He began to chuckle as he listened to her, and his shaking body was enough to awaken her.

Christine opened her eyes and felt the couch shake slightly. She turned her head and felt Erik next to her. "Babe? Were you laughing?"

"I just got up," he said, trying to deflect the question. "How do you feel, my love?"

"Wonderful," she said sleepily. "What time is it?"

He looked at his watch. "It's around 8:30. Hungry?"

"A little bit."

"I know just the place. Let's go."

They got up and made their way down the elevator and to the parking garage. There were a number of cars parked even at this hour because of the rehearsals that wouldn't end until about 10:00, but Erik's car was always next to the elevator due to his enclosed stall.

They drove down to one of the main streets downtown and then down a side street that occasionally would have a tiny business tucked in the side of a large building. When Erik parked on the street, Christine saw that there were a number of tiny businesses she'd never seen before, although having lived in San Francisco most of her life. Erik helped her from the car and they made their way to one of the small businesses that still had a light burning from within.

When Erik pulled the glass door open for her, she was surprised to see the smallest diner she'd ever seen. It had a long counter and stools against one side of the room, and on the other side were about six tiny booths that had just enough room for two people each. It looked like a diner from the fifties as each booth had a music selector on the wall that featured tunes from that era, as well as old-fashioned salt and pepper shakers. When the waitress brought their menus and place settings, Christine saw that it was called Mel's Diner. She couldn't stop smiling at how utterly charming everything looked.

"I take it you like it," Erik smiled, noting her non-stop grin.

Christine looked back at him. "This is just so cute! I never even knew it existed!"

"It's been here for quite awhile. It's kind of a secret place for the locals, but it's one of my favorite places. The food is excellent."

"So what would you recommend?" she asked, looking over the menu.

"Actually, everything on the menu is very good. You won't go wrong no matter what you order."

So Christine quietly studied the selections and finally made her decision. She ordered the fried catfish with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and coleslaw, and Erik ordered the same. She just loved the atmosphere at Mel's and was soon drawn to the music selector.

"Let's pick some out," Erik suggested as he dropped some coins into the machine, and between them, they selected six songs. The first one that began to play was called "Venus."

As the old love song began, they both listened, enjoying immensely the ambiance and that they could enjoy this with one another. Erik watched Christine as she ate her catfish while listening, and he could tell that she was in another world, loving where she was now. _I could watch her forever…and spend the rest of my life with her._

Christine was enjoying the evening immensely, and she was very happy to be with Erik tonight. They'd had a wonderful day, and now they were having a wonderful night. She'd noticed that Erik enjoyed the same type of music and movies she did, and she loved that they never tired of each other or got bored even when there was nothing in particular to do. It was always enough just to be together. _How did I ever survive this long without you? All my life, you're the one I've waited for…_

When they'd finished dinner, they opted for dessert, and they each had a slice of warmed apple pie ala mode with a slice of American cheese topped with cherry brandy sauce. Christine had never had apple pie this way before, but was close to swooning after her first bite. Erik smiled and watched in amusement when she'd had her first taste and then closed her eyes, slightly tilting her head back, and grinning as she savored the flavors.

"Good?" he asked.

When she'd finally gathered her senses, she replied reverently, "Oh my god, this is _the _most incredible apple pie I've ever had!"

"I'm glad you like it."

When they'd finished, they walked back out toward the car arm in arm. There was hardly any traffic or streetlights on this small side street, but Christine felt totally safe alongside Erik, even when she noticed a tall, rather burly man walking towards them down the sidewalk. She thought he might even have been drunk since his gait seemed a bit unsteady, but even in the low light, she could tell that he was shabbily dressed. They were about ten yards from their car and she noticed that Erik seemed very much at ease, which in turn relaxed her, but as the man drew closer, she noticed that Erik walked them closer to the buildings so that he would pass the man on his side rather than hers.

She felt relieved after the man had passed by them, but suddenly heard swift footsteps behind them as Erik pushed her towards the wall and turned quickly around. Even in the dimness, she could see the gleam of the knife as the man approached Erik menacingly.

"Gimme your wallet!" he barked. He was crouched in readiness with his knife held menacingly before of him. In this position, Christine thought he looked huge and realized helplessly that there was absolutely nothing they could do.

Erik positioned himself so that he was between Christine and the man. He reached into his pocket and took out his wallet. Christine was relieved that Erik was cooperating with him and just hoped he would go once he got what he wanted.

"Hand it here," he said gruffly, his hand outstretched.

Erik slowly held it out to him and then tossed it to him gently, although a little low. When the man bent down to catch it, Erik took advantage of his momentary distraction to suddenly grab the man's right wrist and twisted his arm behind him, causing the knife to drop. The man yelped in surprise, but in one smooth motion, Erik continued to arc the man's arm behind him until there was a very audible crack, and then a very loud scream. Erik released him, and he fell to the ground, his right arm hanging grotesquely limp behind him.

"You broke my arm! You broke my arm!" he screamed. He painfully raised himself up and ran as best he could down the street, his arm dangling at his side, until he turned a corner and disappeared.

Erik turned immediately to Christine and held her in his arms.

"Christine, are you all right?" he asked, concerned.

She held onto him tightly and just nodded her head. Erik thought she might be in shock, so he led her carefully to the car and helped her in. As they pulled away from the curb, he tried speaking to her again.

"Christine, please say something, cherie. Are you all right?" Erik realized that it was always traumatic to be victimized, but seeing someone dealt with violently took it to another level.

Christine was faced forward in her seat, holding her arms close in to her when she turned to him. "Erik, are you all right?" she asked softly.

"Yes, cherie, I'm fine. I'm just worried about you."

Christine could still feel herself trembling. "I'll be all right. It's just that I've…I've never been in a situation like that before. Thank you for protecting me."

Erik felt a sudden tenderness toward her and wished he could hold her in his arms this minute. "I'd never let anything ever happen to you, Christine."

"I know that," she murmured, and she seemed to relax somewhat. Christine was surprised, though, at Erik's evident calm. She would've thought he'd be at least a little on edge from having escaped possible death, but he seemed no more unnerved than if he'd been to the dentist.

It was only around ten o'clock, but Erik knew that it would be best if Christine got back home and went to bed. He drove her home and climbed the stairs with her up to her apartment. She changed into her night clothes and put on a tea kettle to make hot water for instant cocoa. As she brought the two steaming cups into the living room, Erik opened his arms for her so she could be comforted. Christine appreciated this very much and snuggled closer to him when she had a thought. "Erik?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you break his arm instead of call the police?" She knew she would never forget the sound of his arm breaking for as long as she lived.

"It was the most practical choice. If we'd have had him arrested, he'd have been back on the street within days doing more of the same. At least this way, he'll never pull a knife on anyone again, at least not with his right hand."

The thought made her shiver, but Christine had to agree with this logic despite how extreme it had seemed at the time. "Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"Self-defense classes. After I'd gotten mugged when I first got here, I swore I'd never let it happen again. It's really helped." In truth, it was his time in Persia that was responsible for his skills. He wouldn't have lasted had he not learned his lessons well and very quickly, and improvised on them as needed. And, of course, he and Amir would occasionally spar for fun.

"But weren't you scared or even excited? You seemed so calm during the whole thing!"

"That's because I knew I was in control. There's fear when you're not in control, but I did get angry, because he was threatening you."

Christine was amazed. Erik really was her protector. She knew that neither Roan nor Rick could have protected her as well.

They talked quietly on the couch while sipping their hot cocoa, and Christine began to get very sleepy soon after. Erik held her comfortably in his arms until she fell asleep, and then he carried her to bed and placed a warm blanket around her. He watched her for a minute as she slept and then placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before whispering goodnight and turning on the nightlight for her. He got a piece of paper from her dresser and left a short note for her before turning out the lights in the living room and locking the door behind him.


	31. Comrades

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers for reviewing, and to my wonderful editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover.

Chapter 31

Comrades

_Friday, The Phil, backstage_

"You should've seen them! The way he was kissing her, you'd have thought it was a god-damned movie!" he hissed conspiratorially. Henri was with the wardrobe mistress as he worked on the sets.

"But how did you see them? You said he took her into another room." Beth was helping drape some fabric on one of the sets and was used to Henri's kidding.

"He did, but the door wasn't closed all the way and I saw everything, and I'm telling you, his tongue was all the way down her throat! That Mr. Dupont may be a recluse, but he sure doesn't waste time when he comes out!" he laughed.

"You think that's something, let me tell you what I saw Wednesday night after rehearsals," Beth grinned slyly, knowing that she had an even better story. She glanced around to make sure they wouldn't be overheard and spoke excitedly, "It was after everyone else was gone and I saw our new soprano go into the wardrobe room. I followed her because I knew she didn't have any business in there, but by the time I got there, she was on her knees giving Mr. Dupont a blow job! And believe me, he looked like Christmas had come early!"

They both laughed out loud at that point until they heard footsteps come out from around one of the backdrops.

"Henri, Beth, are you almost done here? I believe they're waiting on this out front so they can see how it looks with everything else in place."

Henri motioned to the set piece as Beth stepped back out of the way. "It's all ready, Mr. Richards. We just finished before you walked up."

Roan looked at the piece in approval. "It looks great. If you could just move it out front, I think we'll be able to start."

"Yes, sir." Henri began moving the piece down the hallway toward the stage as Beth returned to the wardrobe room.

Roan watched them leave as he stood there pondering what he'd just heard. Apparently Erik Dupont wasn't one to twiddle his thumbs just because he wasn't with Christine. Even though he may be back with her now, the new soprano was apparently someone he kept in his back pocket for emergencies. _It looks like there's more to Erik Dupont than I'd thought…_

_----------_

Christine returned home from dress rehearsal around 12:30 that afternoon. She still marveled that she'd been chosen to sing at the Gala over the other singers at the conservatory for she'd fully expected to take part in the conservatory's annual Christmas Showcase along with the other performance majors who weren't invited to perform at the Phil, and Megan had been selected to perform her ballet. Christine was pleased with how her rehearsal had gone.

She went to her bedroom and changed into something more comfortable, and then went to the kitchen to make herself a bowl of soup and a sandwich for lunch. She put on some music to enhance her dining pleasure and then brought her laptop to the table so she could check her mail and read the news as she ate.

As usual there was no mail so she turned to the news, and as usual, the primary piece had to do with more mid-east violence. After several minutes of reading, an IM window popped up.

SeraphM: Merry Christmas, sweetheart. What's new?

AriaMaven: Merry Christmas, Roan. I just got back from rehearsals.

SeraphM: Can I come over for a few minutes? I wanted to see you.

AriaMaven: Sure, I'll be home all afternoon.

SeraphM: See you in a few minutes. Bye.

AriaMaven: Bye.

Christine was glad she'd be seeing Roan. She suspected he probably wouldn't be pleased by this recent turn of events with Erik, but at least it'd give her a chance to tell him face to face. About a half hour later, there was a knock at her door.

When she opened it, Roan stood there looking as handsome as ever. He smiled and stepped forward to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," he smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Roan," she smiled back as she welcomed him in.

As he went to sit on the couch, Christine brought glasses of lemonade for both of them.

"So how's everything coming with the Christmas Gala?" she asked.

"Everything's moving along smoothly. There's going to be a reception first, and then they'll have the performances, and last will be the play. It's taken a lot of planning, but we'll be ready to go by tomorrow. How's everything with you?"

Christine looked away briefly as she tried to gather her thoughts. She needed to tell him about Erik. She sipped her lemonade before she started.

"Erik came over last night after you left, and we talked."

"Oh?" Roan asked innocently.

"Yes, we talked and we decided to give it another try."

"Oh." Roan looked down momentarily. "Did he say anything else?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did he say anything about what he'd been doing the last few weeks?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked again.

"No, I guess he wouldn't."

"What do you mean what he's been doing for the last few weeks?" Christine wondered what Roan was getting at.

"Well, you don't think he's just been sitting around composing, do you?"

Christine was starting to feel nervous, although she didn't know why. "Roan, what are you trying to say?"

"It's not exactly a secret, but he's been with the new soprano, Joanna."

Christine felt like she was going to hyperventilate, so she forced herself to remain calm. "How would you know something like that?"

Roan looked at her gently and explained slowly, "The Phil is a very small community, babe, and people know what's going on with everyone, who's seeing who and that sort of thing."

Christine looked like she was struggling. "I don't believe you." Her voice seemed strained, but she seemed detached, as though her mind were racing.

"Christine, do you honestly think he's been celibate for _three weeks?" _

Erik celibate for three weeks? When they'd been together, they'd never been able to not have sex for more than a few days at a time. And whenever they'd had sex, Erik had always seemed impatient for it and then extremely passionate, almost uncontrolled. Was it possible to imagine him celibate for three weeks when it seemed they'd never get back together? Christine had to admit that no, she couldn't imagine it. Even she and Roan had almost slept together, and she didn't consider herself nearly as sexual as Erik. But why was Roan telling her this? What did it have to do with the here and now?

"Roan, why are you telling me this? Did you think I needed to know?" Christine was getting angry and her voice was starting to rise. "Did you think it was going to change anything and that I'd leave him and run to _you?"_ Now she was very angry.

"Christine, why _wouldn't_ you want to know? If you were _my_ girlfriend, I'd sure as hell want to know!" Roan stood up and had also raised his voice as he gestured forcefully.

Christine also stood and shouted back, "Well, I'm _not_ your girlfriend, and I _didn't_ need to know!"

Roan turned around and stepped up to her. "Well maybe you'll want to know this," he said, struggling to keep his voice normal. "Erik was fucking Joanna before he came here to see you Wednesday night."

Christine froze and looked at him in shock. She felt like she couldn't breathe. "You're lying," she whispered.

"Ask him!" he shouted.

Christine strode over to the door, holding it wide open for him and yelled, "Why don't you get a _life_ instead of gossiping and meddling in other people's business!"

"Fine!" he shouted as he angrily strode out of her apartment, but turned before departing and said softly with barely controlled anger, "Christine, one of these days you're going to see that I'm right, and when you do, I want you to know that I'll still be here for you." And then he turned abruptly and made his way quickly down the stairs.

Christine shut the door, perhaps a little more forcefully than she'd intended, but she was fuming as she returned to the living room, pacing to dispel some of her anger.

_What does it matter if Erik _was_ with someone else, he's back with me now! _She paced some more. _Besides, I almost slept with Roan…even though that was because I thought he'd left me for good. It doesn't matter…we're together now, and that's the important thing. _

Logically she knew she was right, but emotionally, now that the seed had been planted, she couldn't just get it out of her mind. She still had a few hours to get ready for tonight, so she decided to try to forget about Roan and his gossip. Still, it wasn't easy as images of Erik with Joanna swirled before her eyes. She'd seen Joanna, and she was more than just beautiful. She was striking and talented. _Why_ wouldn't _he want to sleep with her if I wasn't around and he'd wanted to?_ She felt a dull ache in her heart as she pondered this and decided again to try to put it from her mind. Erik had come back to her because _he_ wanted to, and that's all that mattered. That's _all_ that mattered, and Christine found herself repeating this often as she prepared for her evening.

----------

Christine was still struggling with Roan's revelations as she put the finishing touches on her make-up and hair. It was exactly eight o'clock when she heard a knock.

As she opened the door, Erik stood before her dressed in a sharp old time suit with his hands in his pockets and his felt Fedora pulled low over his right brow, and his devilish smile. He looked as though he'd stepped out of a 1930's gangster movie. Christine grinned widely as she hugged him and had him step into the apartment as she collected her overcoat and purse. Erik noticed that she looked absolutely charming dressed as an attractive 1930's woman with her red lipstick, hair held back by barrettes, and shimmery ivory-colored evening dress with matching pumps and sequined evening bag.

Christine had no idea what Erik planned for their evening dressed this way a couple days before Christmas, but she was glad she'd have an opportunity to see downtown San Francisco decorated for the holidays. The city spared no expense to highlight the upscale yet comfortable ambiance of the City by the Bay, and as they drove downtown past the many colorful eateries and clubs that were filled with revelers and patrons of every dress and variety, Christine noticed that Erik again drove them to an area unfamiliar to her. She imagined that Erik must be familiar with practically all the underground clubs and establishments in the city as he drove them to yet another industrial location.

As they drove through the dark and narrow streets, Christine saw some red neon lighting up ahead and guessed correctly that this must be their destination. She was surprised to see a number of Soviet flags of the now defunct USSR hanging on either side of the neon lighting which spelled out in Cyrillic lettering -- Comrades.

Erik parked the car in front of the entrance that was deserted but for two gentlemen who were dressed down as former Russian soldiers seated behind a makeshift podium to the side of the door. They opened the car doors for both he and Christine and one of them drove the car to their parking lot as the other opened the door to the club for them. As they stepped into the building, Christine saw that they were in a rather plain, non-descript foyer that was dark and low-ceilinged where a woman behind a counter checked their coats. Christine was struck by the absolute quiet. From the moment they'd alighted from the car, there had been no sound save for Erik's conversation with the valets and the woman behind the counter. This was obviously a viable business, but there had been no traffic outside, no other people about, no music that she could hear, and no vibrations she could feel through the walls or floor. _So where was everybody? _

After they'd checked their coats and hat, Erik led her to the far side of the foyer where there was an elevator she hadn't noticed before. They stepped in and Erik pushed the down button and Christine noticed that they'd descended three floors underground. When the elevator doors opened, they were immediately engulfed in darkness, music, and flashing lights. They faced an enormous high-ceilinged room, and owing to the Russian flags and other Soviet paraphernalia, it was as though they'd stepped back in time to the Russian Industrial Revolution. There were Russian flags everywhere, as well as pieces of the Berlin wall behind glass display cases, and the name Comrades in bold Cyrillic lettering on the main wall opposite the entrance. Everything seemed industrial, from the bar, to the booths, to the suspended platforms where couples danced, to the walls, which sported memorabilia and photographs of Russia in its heyday, and especially to the crush of people who looked like young Soviet citizens from the past.

Everyone was dancing to Russian techno music and Christine found the booming rhythms hypnotizing. Erik took her hand and led her through the crowd as the beat was felt through their bodies. They were about three-quarters of the way across the dance floor when Erik turned around, and Christine was glad to see that he wanted to dance with her. She would have hated to have had this great dance music go to waste.

Christine loved the wild ambiance of the club and that everyone was so involved in their dancing. She noticed that everyone was dressed as if they were from that era, and she felt a wonderful sense of belonging, or comradery, with everyone around them. She found herself smiling broadly as she danced, and when she looked at Erik, noticed that he'd been watching her closely, obviously pleased that she was having such a good time. She watched him as he danced and was again struck by his sensuality. She'd never seen anyone dance the way he could, and it seemed so natural, as if done without conscious effort. His eyes burned into hers as they danced, and she soon realized a warmth starting to form in her chest and which was moving downward. As she stared at him, she realized that her breathing had started to deepen, and she was no longer smiling as she danced, nor was he. She was dangerously drawn to him and would have willingly foregone the rest of the evening if she could have experienced him now. _I want you, baby, I need you... _The music had begun to slow down and stop as another piece was about to start. As they stood still looking at one another, Erik grabbed her hand and continued to lead her to the other side of the room to where there was a revolving glass door which they went through.

When they went through to the other side, they were in another room of the club that was obviously for dining. Christine looked behind her from where they'd come and noticed that no sound from that room filtered into this one that was now filled with slow songs from the past. Erik led her to the hostess behind the reservations podium and she greeted them amiably.

"Good evening, Mr. Dupont, and welcome back to Comrades. Please follow me."

This room was also decorated with Russian paraphernalia and photographs on the brick walls. They were led to a comfortable booth and were left with a couple menus after their drinks had been ordered. Christine was thoroughly charmed and felt as though they'd truly taken a trip back in time. Everyone, the staff and diners alike, were dressed and in character, and as she looked at Erik, was amused to see that he in truth looked as if he could have belonged to the Russian Mafia.

"How do you like Comrades, my love?" he asked with a smile.

"Oh Erik, I love it!" Christine grinned. "Everything's so incredible!"

"I'm glad," he said, pleased, and they turned to their menus.

Since it was Christine's first time there, she ordered a sampler platter, and Erik ordered a different dish so Christine could try even more Russian fare. When their drinks arrived, Erik had ordered a Black Russian and Christine a Molotov Cocktail, which looked like a type of exotic martini with a green olive. After their waiter had taken their orders and left with the menus, Erik turned his attention to Christine.

He looked at her gently, but seriously. "I've missed you, Christine. Wherever I went, whatever I did, you were always with me." He took her hand across the table. "I love you."

Christine looked at his hand holding hers and thought how wonderful it felt to touch him again. She slowly shook her head. "I thought I'd never see you again. I thought…you didn't want me."

Erik closed his eyes momentarily before raising them to her again. "There is never a time when I don't want you, cherie. I will always want you, and I will always love you."

As he looked into her eyes and held her hand, he thought absently that he wished there were a way to be a part of her forever. He never wanted to be separated from her ever again. The past few weeks had no doubt been difficult for her, but they'd been almost unbearable for him. He didn't doubt that Roan had done his best to win her over, but here she was with him now. She was his again.

The waiter brought their food and they enjoyed trying the new and different foods of Russia. And as they tried the sampler platter, they would occasionally feed one another as they had done that day on the island, and eventually, would share a kiss between mouthfuls. The simple act of feeding the other was a loving one and was gradually renewing their bond.

When they finished dinner, they ordered dessert – individual Baked Alaskas which were artfully impaled with long, thin candles that sparkled like fireworks. Christine loved it, and enjoyed the unusual yet delightful flavor of Russian ice cream.

Once they had finished eating and were ready to leave, Christine imagined they would go home now and had actually been wondering when they would feel comfortable enough to make love again. She had missed everything about Erik – his touch, his smell, the feel of his skin against hers, and the very sensation of lying next to him skin to skin. There were nights when she thought she'd go crazy with her memories of him, and though resorting to masturbation would temporarily ease her madness and cause her to escape in sleep, her dreams would still torment her and invariably result in an aching between her legs by morning. Dancing with him again had reminded her strongly of this, as had the ritual of feeding one another, especially when he would sensuously lick her fingers or slowly lick her bottom lip with his tongue. She vaguely wondered if he'd had similar experiences with Joanna, but quashed those thoughts as soon as he took her hand to leave.

She thought he would lead her back the way they'd come, through the revolving doors and then to the elevator, but instead, he led her to another elevator in the dining area that was actually invisible due to being placed behind a black partition. Unless one knew of its existence, she realized that no one would ever come this way.

As they rode up two floors, the doors opened up to a dark, low-ceilinged lounge that still looked very Russian, yet seemed very mellow and relaxed despite the large number of people present. The brick walls and dark ceiling gave it a somewhat gothic feel, while low partitions separating couches and chairs, and the deep booths along the walls, maintained a feeling of intimacy. There was a quartet playing soft, romantic music from the big band era, and there were a few couples dancing on the small dance floor in front of the stage.

As they stepped out of the elevator, they were approached by a hostess who led them to a booth that was comfortably appointed with pillows and beaded drapes that gave the illusion of privacy, the only lighting coming from a small lamp on the table and the dance floor. She took their drink orders and returned shortly with an Irish coffee and cappuccino. As Christine took in their surroundings, Erik gently took her hand and placed a kiss across her fingers, which brought her attention back to him. As they gazed at each other, Christine thought his eyes were unreadable, but imagined that he must be thinking along the same lines as she. _Can we just be together, and maybe even have a future together?_

The band began playing a slow song, and Erik took her hand and led her to the dance floor. As he held her, Christine noticed that he held her away from him rather than hold her tightly as they'd done before so that there was actually a large space between them, yet he held her tenderly and looked down at her with unmistakable adoration.

As Erik looked into her eyes, he felt such a sense of oneness as he'd never felt before. It was as though his entire life was summed up in this moment where he was dancing with the love of his life, and she was his. He wished he could bottle this feeling and keep it forever between them. Christine was looking into his eyes, but he was looking at her entire face…her lips, her nose, her brow. She was the most beautiful and precious being in the world, and he loved her deeply. She was truly the other half of him, and even being this close to her affected him like no other could. He could smell her cologne mixed with her natural scent, and it was nothing short of arousing. He couldn't help but feel himself stiffen and was afraid he'd soon give himself away unless he regained a semblance of control over himself. How he wanted to touch her, to feel her body again, to experience all that was Christine… yet he wanted to respect her, too, and that was why he now held her at arms length as they danced.

"I've missed dancing with you," Christine said softly.

"I've missed it as well, cherie," he replied.

They danced slowly, and though Christine had only her hand on his shoulder and his left hand in her right, she was amazed that she could actually feel his immense strength and power. She wondered if she were imagining this or if it had anything to do with the fact that he'd saved her the night before. Whatever it was, she again felt herself being powerfully drawn in by him, and wanting him desperately. She wondered if they would make love tonight, and then it occurred to her, _what if he doesn't want to? _The thought itself was enough to make her groan.

"Are you all right, cherie?" Erik asked as he looked at her.

Christine hadn't realized she'd made any sound at all, but was embarrassed that he'd heard her. "Yes, I'm fine. I just thought of something, but I'm fine," she smiled, perhaps too happily.

Erik wondered if she'd had too much to drink, although her last drink had been a coffee. Perhaps she was tired. He led her from the dance floor back to their table to sit for awhile and relax. When they'd finished their coffee, they stood and made their way to the elevator and then to the car, driving away from downtown.

"Thank you for taking me to Comrades, babe, I loved it," Christine smiled as she placed her hand on his thigh.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, cherie. Are you tired?" It was only ten o'clock, so the night was still relatively young.

"No, I'm not tired, I'm just enjoying being together."

"And I, too, cherie." Erik smiled as he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. He drove them to a densely wooded part of the city and Christine noted they had driven uphill along an unlighted road, although she could still see the city lights in the distance.

She suddenly thought about the Gala. "Tomorrow night's the Gala and it'll be my first time performing at the Phil. I'll probably be a nervous wreck by then."

"You've nothing to worry about, my love, you've got more talent than most of our singers there. You shouldn't get your panties in a twist, my dear."

"Panties? What panties?"

"Pardon?"

"Oh my," Christine patted her lap, feigning distress. "It looks like I've forgotten to wear any!"

Erik looked at her as this new revelation sank in. She was unbelievable.

He quickly pulled off onto a dark side road and turned off the engine and the lights. He turned to her as the engine died and said, "Get out."

Christine looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "What?"

Erik spoke impatiently, "Get out of the car."

"Erik?" He couldn't be serious.

When he saw that she wasn't moving, he got out of his side and walked swiftly over to her side. In the darkness, he wrenched her car door open and pulled her out. Christine was shocked as he pulled her out by her arm and slammed the door shut. He pushed her against the car and began kissing her roughly, trailing burning kisses down her neck. She was stunned as he quickly unbuttoned the front of her dress and moved aside her bra, grabbing her breasts and sucking on them hungrily as though he were starving. Christine moaned as he suckled them both in turn, and she felt his hands go under her dress.

As he ran his hands up her legs, he could feel that she was indeed naked, and immediately reached between her legs to feel her wetness. He felt along her smoothness until he found her opening, and Christine gasped when she felt him insert his fingers into her, deeply. He gently moved them in and out of her, spreading her juices as she began to breath roughly. He withdrew from her and brought his fingers up to his lips, sucking the tips and tasting her essence. It smelled clean and pure, and tasted _wonderful._

He cupped her buttocks with his hands and Christine moaned softly as he kneaded them firmly. He knelt before her and pressed his face to her crotch. _My god she smells good. _He found her clit with his tongue, and this caused her to audibly gasp and moan as she threw her head back at this sensation. She had her fingers in his hair and was pushing his head further into her cleft as he continued to lick and taste her. God how he'd missed this…he remembered the way she tasted.

As he licked and teased her clit, he suddenly felt her tense and begin to tremble, and her breathing had started to come in short gasps. He stood suddenly and unzipped his pants, grabbing his rigid member and forcing it into her roughly as he pushed his full weight onto her against the car. She grabbed his shoulders and suddenly moaned loudly and cried out with abandon as she shuddered and thrashed under him, her voice echoing through the dark wood. He closed his eyes as he fucked her again and again against the car and listened to the sounds of her release. He thought there was no sweeter sound in the world than to hear Christine's orgasm as she struggled and strained from his pleasuring.

When he'd felt her walls tighten around him, he'd also begun to orgasm and thrust himself into her forcefully again and again, rocking the car and groaning loudly. When he'd finally exploded and spilled all of himself into her, he stayed there for several minutes, not wanting to be parted from her so soon. Their surroundings were dark and crickets were chirping. The air was cool, but they didn't mind. Christine's dress was still opened and her breasts were exposed, but Erik was standing in front of her, her dress raised in front and pooling to the sides. He thought she looked incredibly sexy this way. He touched her nipples with his fingers and found that they were hypersensitive, causing her walls to clench him further.

Christine lay back against the car with her eyes closed. She loved the feel of him inside her. Erik was holding both her breasts in his warm hands and would run his thumbs over the nipples. It felt so good. It was a different sensation making love outdoors…it was exciting…definitely more exciting. Although no cars had come by, she knew there was always the possibility for this was the road leading up to the planetarium. She wished they could just stay joined and not have to separate.

"Christine…," Erik whispered.

"Yes?"

"Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Yes."

Erik kissed her gently and regretfully pulled out of her. They straightened their clothes and got back in the car as Erik drove them back home to his apartment.

They got undressed and took a leisurely shower before retiring to bed. Erik placed his arms around her as she comfortably spooned into his front, and she snuggled her butt against him so he could insert his renewed erection into her and be joined to her in the night. Once they felt themselves firmly joined, Erik cupped his hand around one breast and they soon fell asleep.

----------

Christine's dreams were wonderful, yet in her dream, she could always see Roan watching from a distance, and wondered why this would be so when she and Erik were so happy. But it didn't matter, because they were together, and that was all that mattered.

----------

This was one of the most restful nights of sleep Erik had had in weeks, and it was a pleasant change not to wake up in the middle of the night because of yet another nightmare. He was with Christine, and he dreamed that they were enjoying their time together shopping, picnicking, and exploring the city. But wherever they went, Joanna would be there, too. She never said anything nor approached them, but she would look at him and smile. He couldn't understand why they'd keep running into her, but he'd merely nod at her in acknowledgement and move on because she meant nothing to him after all. He was with Christine, and he was happy.

----------

He'd had another restless night, and his dreams wouldn't leave him alone. He'd brought Christine to his apartment that night and had begun to seduce her. She was so beautiful, so sensual, and she was responding to his advances. He was atop her now and was thrusting into her amid her cries of ecstasy. She was having an orgasm, and as he watched her face as she moaned and cried out, he'd ground himself into her and ejaculated powerfully and groaned with the effort. When they'd both exhausted themselves, he kissed her tenderly and then moved off of her, and she whispered, "I love you, Roan…"

He'd woken up then, remembering the dream and how incredible it had felt to be inside of her. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, remembering, and he stuck his hand under the covers to hold himself. When he felt it, his eyes shot open. He'd ejaculated in his sleep! _Holy shit, I can't believe I had a wet dream! _He threw the covers off of him as he got up and stumbled over to the linen closet to grab a clean sheet. When he looked over at the clock, he saw that it was just three o'clock. Half asleep, he quickly re-made the bed and flopped back into it. Within minutes he was asleep, but his dreams returned.

----------

She'd been sleeping soundly, but her dreams were always about _him. _The settings and situations would differ, but he was always there. Tonight, they were in the wardrobe room. He'd surprised her as she was looking for a costume and had begun to make advances towards her. She tried to leave, but he grabbed her wrist and began to kiss her roughly and touch her intimately. He forced her easily onto one of the worktables and had mounted her although she'd tried to fight him off, but he was much too strong. She had become very aroused by his show of force and he had pulled down her bodice and was sucking her breasts. She weakly pushed against him, but he'd pulled up her dress and was preparing to rape her. When he thrust his rigid shaft into her, she'd exploded into a violent orgasm and had cried out loudly, spasming in ecstasy as he pumped into her again and again…ending only when she awoke with a start when she landed on the floor next to her bed.


	32. The Christmas Gala

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers for reviewing, and to my wonderful editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover for their inspiration and friendship.

Chapter 32

The Christmas Gala

_Saturday morning, Christmas Eve_

Erik was having a gloriously wonderful dream. He and Christine were back on the island in the hammock and she was holding his cock as she sucked it smoothly between her wet lips, in and out. He orgasmed and groaned as he ejaculated powerfully, and as he started to awaken, found that he could still feel those wonderful lips…

_I'm still in heaven _he thought as he slowly opened his eyes. When he looked down, Christine was between his legs, pleasuring him.

"Good morning, my love," she purred.

Erik smiled gently. "Good morning, mon amour. I could wake up like this every day of my life."

Christine crawled up next to him and rested her head on his arm. "I love you."

"And I love you," Erik murmured as he kissed her forehead. "It's Christmas Eve and tonight's the Gala. Will you spend Christmas with me?"

"I'd love to. It'll be our first Christmas together," she smiled.

"The Gala reception will be at six o'clock and the performances won't begin until seven, and then the play will be from eight till ten tonight, so we've got until about three o'clock to do as we wish. Why don't we bring the gifts from under your tree over here, and then you won't have to go back home after the Gala?"

"But I was only going to stay for the performances. I wasn't going to stay for the whole thing." Christine had seen their Christmas play last year, and although they had a different one each year, she didn't feel she needed to see it again so soon.

"That's okay, I'll give you a key to get in and you can wait for me, because I need to be there until it's over."

It was almost nine o'clock, so they arose and went to the kitchen, sans robes, and made breakfast of toast and orange juice. Erik seemed anxious to have Christine try his collection of fine jams and jellies.

"Here, my love, you must try this. It's guava jelly." He held out a piece of toast for her that had been spread with butter and then guava jelly.

Christine took it cautiously, never having tried anything more daring than apple butter. She nibbled on a corner and then smiled. "It's good!"

Erik was already busily toasting another piece of bread and then proceeded to prepare it the same way, but with a specially made strawberry jam. "Now this strawberry jam is very special because it's made in small batches only at this one fruit stand in Nipomo, which is a small town in central California. The elderly farmer who makes it has the only recipe, so once he goes, unless he's passed it on to his relatives, the recipe will be lost forever."

Erik handed her another slice with butter and the strawberry jam, which had large pieces of strawberry in the glaze. Christine didn't normally get excited about strawberry jam since it was something she'd grown up with as a native-born Californian, but after one bite, she was convinced that Erik was onto something. She looked at him in surprise and said, "I believe you…this is the best strawberry jam I've ever had!"

Erik was pleased that Christine could be excited about the things he was as well and he smiled.

After they had had breakfast, they got dressed and went over to Christine's apartment so she could change and pack some clothes and retrieve the presents from under her tree. She made sure Pinecone had enough food and water and a clean cat box, and then they carried the gifts down to the car and returned to Erik's apartment.

As they stepped out of the elevator into his living room, Christine noticed that there was no Christmas tree and wondered where Erik wanted to set the Christmas presents. She followed his lead and set them down on one of the coffee tables.

Erik noticed Christine look around for a Christmas tree and explained, "I've never bothered to get a tree before because I couldn't see celebrating Christmas alone, but since we'll be together this year, why don't we go and get a tree and some trimmings, and then we can decorate it together. Perhaps we can start our own tradition."

Christine very much liked the sound of that. "I'd love to," she beamed.

As they left the Phil, Christine wondered where they'd be able to find a nice tree this late in the month, but as Erik drove southward on the freeway, they eventually came to Henderson's Tree Farm just outside San Francisco. As they walked with one of the farmers down the remaining rows of Christmas trees, they found several that were perfect. Christine was drawn to a magnificent Noble Fir and so the farmer cut it down and helped them tie it to the roof of the Range Rover and also helped them select the proper tree stand for it and chemicals to keep it fresh.

Next on the list were the ornaments. Somehow Christine couldn't imagine Erik walking into a variety store to purchase ornaments, so she wondered where he'd go to find them the day before Christmas. When they got back to San Francisco proper, Erik drove downtown towards the financial district and went down the street that had the high-priced boutiques and shops and parked on the curb. Christine wasn't familiar with the stores in the area for she'd never even bothered to window-shop there. She couldn't see the point if she knew she could never afford to buy anything, but then figured that Erik would naturally shop here since he could afford whatever he wanted.

The store they walked into was called Kris's, for Kris Kringle, and it carried high-quality Christmas wares throughout the year. Christine was curious to see what sort of ornaments and decorations Erik would choose since it seemed men didn't usually put much thought into holiday decorations, but she was surprised when she saw Erik grab a cart and go through the store quite comfortably, looking over their selection of merchandise and picking out what pleased him. In addition to indoor and outdoor lighting and lights for the tree, he also selected wreaths, garlands, Christmas statuary, and decorative candy canes. She was very impressed.

When he finally approached the Christmas ornaments, he turned to Christine and asked her to help him select some. He chose four boxes of pre-packaged ornaments in attractive shades of gold, red, and green, but when it came to the specially made ornaments, he took his time. Christine picked up an attractive ornament of Santa in his sleigh, but balked when she saw the price tag: $75. She wondered if she could find a more reasonably priced one and selected another of a snowman, but it was $65. She turned to Erik to see what ornaments he'd selected and saw that he'd selected one of a grand piano and another of an elaborate candy cane. The grand piano was $150 and the candy cane was $90. _What kind of people spend that kind of money on Christmas ornaments when there are people in the world starving? _

Christine suddenly felt that she didn't want to be in the store any longer. What had seemed like a winter wonderland when she'd first entered now looked like a sick joke. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes and didn't want Erik to see. _It's his money, he can do what he wants with it. I have no right to judge anyone. _While his back was turned, Christine walked out of the store and waited by the car as her tears fell. About a minute later, Erik hurriedly came out and saw Christine by the car. He quickly walked over and could see that she'd been crying.

"Christine, what's wrong? I turned around and you'd disappeared."

She felt silly trying to explain why she'd left, but felt she really had no choice. She shook her head as she spoke through her tears. "I've never been in a store like that before…where even Christmas ornaments cost more than some people make in a day. We can buy so much for Christmas, but there are people who can't even feed their families." And her tears began to fall again.

Erik understood, and he loved her even more for her compassion. He placed his arms around her and hugged her, whispering softly. "Christine, I love you. You're right, we do have so much compared to a lot of people, but I promise that we haven't forgotten them. The Phil donates over a million dollars a year to charities so that we can give the community more than just entertainment. The Phil is a very important part of the city because of that."

"Thank you," she whispered. Christine so appreciated Erik explaining this to her. As quickly as it happened, it was hard to believe that this could have ended them. It was part of her core beliefs that everyone was here to help one another, and it would have been impossible for her to be with anyone who didn't feel the same way. Even Rick and his family had been heavily involved in charities, and she was glad now to realize that Erik was, too. When he knew she felt better, he took her hand and led her back into the store. They emerged with two large bags and went straight home to sort their booty and carry the tree up to the apartment.

The better part of the day was spent decorating, and by the time they finished around two-thirty, the apartment looked wonderful and smelled of Christmas. Christine placed the gifts from her tree under Erik's as he brought some gifts from another room and interspersed them with hers. Together, she thought there were quite a few presents under the tree now, which made it all the more festive.

They took a short break and got some juice and made sandwiches before Erik took Christine home at three o'clock. Before he left her at her apartment, he gave her a few words of encouragement.

"Don't be overly worried about tonight, my love, just remember that you're better than most of the singers at the Phil. You're going to be wonderful and you'll dazzle everyone, you'll see. I love you. Here's a key to the apartment, I'll see you later." And he gave her a tender kiss before leaving.

----------

It was almost five-thirty when Christine heard the frenzied knocking on her door and she hurriedly came out and opened it to a frazzled-looking Megan.

"Christine! I was _so _glad to hear from you! We're going to be on stage at the Phil in a few hours and I just know I'm gonna make a fool of myself! I'll fall!"

Christine had thought _she_ was nervous, but it was nothing compared to Megan's current state. "Megan," she said calmly, "have you _ever_ fallen during a performance anywhere?"

"No! But I've never performed anywhere that's been as important as this! I'll fall for the first time tonight in front of _everybody! _Especially _Amir! _I don't want to go…I'll tell them I'm sick!"

Christine rolled her eyes. "Megan, why don't you get something to drink from the kitchen and go sit down in the living room? I'll be out in a few minutes."

By the time Christine returned a little less than five minutes later dressed in a formal gown, Megan seemed to have relaxed somewhat and regulated her breathing. _That yoga and meditation must really be working for her_ Christine thought. "Are you ready to go now?" she asked optimistically.

Megan smiled back genuinely. "I'm ready!"

As they drove to the Phil, they took this opportunity to catch up on the last few weeks.

"May I say, Ms. Gerard, that you are looking particularly fetching this evening," Christine complimented on her gown. "Is that a new frock? It's quite becoming."

Megan smiled and replied in kind. "This old thing? No, but thank you for your kind words. I might say the same about you, my dear."

"So what's been happening with you and our favorite pirate? You guys still sailing on cloud nine?"

Megan smiled beautifully then. "Yes, we're still floating. Oh, Christine, I can't tell you when I've been so happy! He treats me well, and he's always so kind, he respects me, and he really listens to me…. He really makes me happy." As she said this last, her voice started to crack and get a little higher, and Christine could see that she had tears in her eyes.

She was touched that Megan had found happiness with someone at last and realized that she also had a lump in her throat. She'd often wondered while she'd been with Rick if Megan had ever been jealous or begrudged her happiness with Rick, and then Erik, but she'd never given any indication of it and had always been the loyal, supportive friend she'd always been. She was happy for Megan beyond words, and hoped she would always be so.

But then Megan went on, "But it's almost like he's _too _perfect. I mean, I've seen him happy, I've seen him when he's sexy, and I've seen him when he's been quiet, but I've never seen him angry or upset, and he's always so good to me...it's not natural! I just want to see the _real_ Amir so I can know who he really is."

Christine thought about this. Although she'd never seen Erik truly angry or upset, she'd seen snippets of it when he'd tease her prior to making love to her. He'd often try to frighten her or catch her off guard, and she'd often wondered if he'd been serious, but then he would always surprise her with something wonderful, and he had never hurt her. But what if he hadn't been teasing? She had to admit that from the moment she'd met him, she'd known that she'd never want to see him angry, for although she'd never seen him violent up till then, she'd always had a feeling that it could easily become so. There had just seemed to be something about him that had always struck her as being dangerous, and it had actually attracted her to him. Was it really so long ago when she told Megan..._he was dressed all in black and he looked just like one of those guys who could kill you as soon as look at you, but his face was beautiful... _And she'd felt even more so after seeing him calmly break a man's arm.

"Be careful what you wish for," she quipped, yet she had a strange feeling of foreboding even as she said it.

Megan snorted and asked cheerfully, "And how's everything now between you and our favorite masked man?"

Now it was Christine's turn to smile. "We're back together again, and it's even better than ever. He came over Wednesday to talk and we decided to try again. He asked me if I could forget the mask and just be with him."

"And what did you say?"

"I told him he was the love of my life and that I'd never leave him unless he told me to go."

"And what about the mask? Can you really just let that go?"

"I asked him about what would happen if I brought it up again and he said he didn't know, that he didn't have all the answers. So I guess that just means we both try our best to make it work."

Megan glanced over to her as she drove. "Well, you know what they say – sometimes with great love comes great sacrifice. I really hope it works out, because we really love you guys."

Christine looked at her and said sincerely, "Same here, we love you, too."

It was about a quarter to six when they pulled into the parking structure and immediately began to feel the excitement of the evening when they saw the searchlights shooting skyward from the middle of the courtyard and directing everyone to the Christmas Gala. They made their way to the Phil's lobby where the reception was taking place for the performers and passed a number of elegantly dressed patrons on their way. They were each handed a program when they walked in and they saw that there was already a significant crowd there in gowns and black tie.

And making their way to them from the edge of the crowd were Erik and Amir, who both looked dangerously dashing in black tie. As they met them, they each gave their women a kiss, and then greeted the other and also gave them a kiss. Although they were accustomed to these affairs, both Erik and Amir were thrilled that Christine and Megan could be with them this time.

"You look beautiful, cherie," Erik murmured as he gazed at her appreciatively.

Christine looked at him with gladness and her heart filled with love as she looked into the eyes she adored. She thought he never looked so handsome. "Thank you, my love."

He offered her his arm, which she took, feeling like a princess, and the four of them made their way to the champagne table where elegant flutes of Dom Perignon were poured for them. As they chatted for awhile over their champagne, Erik looked over when he felt someone staring at him. Looking past Christine, Joanna had been talking to some other singers when she'd seen him and was now looking at him. When they locked eyes, it seemed as though some sort of knowing passed between them. Erik nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly, in acknowledgment, and Joanna smiled slightly before turning her attention back to the other singers.

Erik wondered why she should always make him feel uncomfortable. _Well, it's not everyone who's given you a blowjob _his conscience reminded him.

As he turned his attention back to Christine and the others, he turned to Amir, who was looking at him curiously and had apparently seen the visual exchange between he and Joanna. Erik shook his head slightly to indicate he would explain later. Amir took Megan's arm and excused themselves while Erik guided Christine toward the doors that opened out into the courtyard so they could escape the crowded lobby. But before they walked ten steps, they were met with their first social obligation of the evening.

"Erik Dupont! Come on over here so I can introduce you to one of your greatest fans!"

As they turned toward this greeting, they saw the mayor standing next to a very attractive middle-aged woman.

As they approached, Erik extended his hand and smiled, "Merry Christmas, Robert. A pleasure, as always. You remember Ms. Karlsson?" he said, turning towards Christine.

"Of course! A pleasure to see you again, Christine. Merry Christmas!" he grinned amiably as he shook her hand. "And may I introduce you to my wife, Ann Marie. Annie, this is Ms. Christine Karlsson, and this handsome devil is Erik Dupont, San Francisco's very own treasure."

Erik smiled at this hyperbole as he extended his hand to the mayor's wife. "My pleasure, madam" he smiled sincerely.

"Oh, my," she smiled endearingly. "Not only is he handsome and talented, but he's charming, too. Mr. Dupont, I've enjoyed your incredible music for many years and hope you'll be performing for us again this year since we missed you at our last Gala."

"Thank you, you're most kind. Both Ms. Karlsson and I will be performing this evening. I believe you'll be very pleased with this year's Gala."

They spoke with the mayor and his wife for a few more minutes before excusing themselves to walk out to the courtyard. It was a beautiful, clear evening and they could see the stars for once. The trees around the courtyard had twinkle lights in them and it was very romantic as the crickets chirped in the night. They strolled quietly at a leisurely pace, just enjoying being together. Erik walked her around a tall hedge a little ways away from the crowd and Christine wondered why until he turned towards her and tenderly kissed her. His lips were so soft, yet strong, and under the courtyard light, she could feel herself reeling under his kiss. She wondered that his kisses could always leave her feeling weak, and she was glad he was holding her arms for she was effectively turned to mush. As he pulled slightly away, she could feel his warm breath on her ear as he whispered, "I love you so, Christine."

She closed her eyes and felt that all her dreams were coming true this night. Her handsome Prince had returned to her and professed his love, and she would at last realize her dream of singing at the Phil. She said a silent prayer of thanks to her mother and father, and knew they'd be watching her perform.

As they walked slowly back towards the Phil, Christine almost started when she felt someone gently place their hand on her shoulder.

"Christine, it's been a long time."

She and Erik turned and were surprised to see Rick De Chagny and Roan Richards together, although it was expected that they would be in attendance. Christine released Erik's arm and went up to give Rick a warm hug.

"Rick, Merry Christmas! It _has_ been a long time, and I'm so glad to see you! Hi, Roan." As Rick hugged her back, Roan stiffly shook hands with Erik and merely nodded in acknowledgement since he'd seen Erik take Christine behind the hedge . She wasn't really sure how she should address Roan considering their argument just yesterday, but she felt she should make Rick the center of her attention for the moment.

"Merry Christmas," he smiled, and he extended his hand to Erik, who shook it cordially enough with a slight smile. "You look beautiful, Christine. We're looking forward to hearing you sing tonight. I know you'll make us all proud."

"Thank you," she said modestly. She noticed just how handsome he and Roan looked dressed formally and thought how strange it was to be surrounded by the three most gorgeous men she'd ever known in her life. "You've all done an incredible job throwing the Christmas Gala this year. Everything looks beautiful and very well organized. We have to go in now to change because the performances will start at seven, but I hope we see you again," and she gave Rick another hug and smiled at Roan as she and Erik walked hand in hand into the lobby again. It was after 6:30, so Erik needed to change into his costume. Christine would perform in her formal gown.

"Was that very uncomfortable for you, cherie?" Erik asked once they were walking through the crowd inside.

"No, not with Rick, I was glad to see him again. But more with Roan."

"Why is that, my dear?"

"We had an argument the last time we saw each other and I guess we're still a little mad, but we'll get over it. I'll see you later tonight, baby."

"All right, my love. I'll be watching, I know you'll be wonderful."

They took their leave from one another with a kiss and Erik made his way to a dressing room to change for his performance. He realized that this would be the first time Christine would see him perform and wondered what she would think of this new side of him.

----------

Christine was looking for the stairs leading up to the mezzanine when she walked back through the lobby. There were still quite a few people milling about although curtain time was in fifteen minutes, but as she made her way through the crowd, she glimpsed someone staring at her out of the corner of her eye, and so turned in their direction. She was surprised to see that it was the new soprano, Joanna, and she truly did seem to be staring at her. Christine had a strange feeling about this as visions of Erik with Joanna came to mind. _I should probably just go up and talk to her. I can't believe Erik actually slept with her. _

Christine plastered a relaxed smile on her face as she made her way over to where Joanna stood.

"Good evening, Joanna," she smiled sincerely. "You look very beautiful tonight."

Joanna smiled back. "Thank you, Christine, you do, too. I saw your name in the program and I'm really looking forward to hearing you sing."

"You, too. This'll be your first time performing at the Phil, are you nervous?"

"Maybe a little bit," Joanna chuckled. "How about you?"

"Actually, I'm a nervous wreck, but I just try not to think about it," she grinned. "Would you like to come sit with Megan and I?"

"That's so kind of you, but I'm going to sit with one of the other sopranos since we'll be performing together. But thank you for asking," she smiled sweetly.

"Well, I'd better get going before Megan comes looking for me. Maybe we'll see each other again sometime." She gave her a parting smile as she made her way to the stairs. She looked behind her into the crowd before losing sight of them and was surprised to see Joanna still looking at her, and the uneasiness returned. She was reminded again of her conversation with Roan.

When she reached the mezzanine level, she and Megan caught up with one another and found their seats in the darkened rows. Since Christine's part was towards the end of the hour, she'd be able to watch most of the performances until a few minutes before she had to go on. Megan's part was during the play, so she'd be able to stay for the entire first part of tonight's showing, and she was thrilled at the prospect of seeing both Christine and Erik perform. When they took their seats, Christine immediately told Megan about her argument with Roan yesterday and her encounter with Joanna downstairs.

"And until tonight, that was the last time I saw him, when I threw him out. The way he tells it, it's no secret around the Phil that Erik was sleeping with Joanna. And then just now, I catch Joanna staring at me, so I go up to talk to her and she's as sweet as always. But when I'm leaving, I turn around and she's staring at me again. What do you make of that?"

Megan didn't like the sound of it, but she didn't want to alarm Christine unnecessarily.

"Well, I think it'd be safe to say that you should take at least some of what Roan said as being true. Erik probably did have something to do with Joanna, but did he sleep with her? Maybe, maybe not, but I wouldn't jump to any conclusions until he says he did. And as for Joanna staring at you, I'd say don't worry about it, because Erik's with _you _now, and that's the only thing you need to be concerned with."

Megan had just confirmed what Christine had already concluded, but it felt good to hear her say it nonetheless. It didn't matter what Joanna had on her mind because it had nothing to do with them. Erik was all that mattered.

As they looked over their programs, they saw Christine's name and that she would be performing towards the end of the hour, and Megan's name was among the ballet dancers in the play, but nowhere in the program was Erik Dupont.

"Where's Erik?" Megan asked as she looked over each page of her program.

Christine was at a loss as well. "I don't see his name anywhere. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

As the lights dimmed in the theatre, voices quieted in anticipation of San Francisco's finest being presented this evening. The drapes on the stage parted, and as the orchestra began to play a piece entitled "Con Te Partiro," the lights came up to reveal an incredible backdrop of ancient columns draped with vines and leaves. Set back towards the center of the stage was a raised platform that looked like a hill, and atop this was the performer who was backlit so that he appeared in darkness. It was a beautifully ethereal setting, and as he began his song, everyone was mesmerized, not only by this man who looked incredibly dashing in his tight pants and shirt with flowing sleeves, but by his _voice. _

The song was Italian, and although most couldn't understand the words, it was the _voice_ that forced everyone to stop and take note. When the night ended, everyone would say that he had the voice of an angel, for it was quiniticentially perfect. It was a dramatic song with parts that tugged at the heart and mind, and combined with the dramatic movements of the performer, pulled one into what was obviously a heartfelt plea to a lover. The astonishing beauty of the voice caused many in the audience to be moved to tears.

Up in the mezzanine as they closely watched the performance, Christine suddenly grabbed Megan's arm and whispered, "That's Erik."

"What! Are you sure?" Megan couldn't believe it. She'd never heard such an incredible voice in her life as her eyes overflowed. "Did you know he could sing like that?"

"No, he never mentioned it." Christine had tears streaming down her face from the beauty of the song, his graceful and poignant movements, and thought _this is the man who loves me. _Everything meant so much more now that she could actually see what was in his heart from his movements. She _knew_ that he was singing the song to her, whatever it meant.

When the song finally ended, Christine was amazed when everyone in the theatre immediately arose and gave him a standing ovation with so many shouts of 'bravo' and 'encore' that it seemed as though the entire theatre was shouting rather than applauding. She'd been part of many performances, and knew that such an outpouring of applause from an audience was extremely rare. Although standing ovations were common enough, it was rare to hear shouts of apreciation to this extent. It would have been inappropriate for a performer not to provide an encore after such an ovation, and so from the same platform, he began his second song, which she'd never heard before but was achingly beautiful. When it was over, he again received another standing ovation with shouts of 'bravo,' and as the curtains closed, Christine closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

_What an incredible man I fell in love with...there are no words…_

Christine and Megan enjoyed the rest of the performances, and when it was almost time for her part, Christine excused herself to go backstage. Erik met her there and had changed into black performance tie and tails.

Christine hugged him and looked at him with new eyes. "Erik! You were wonderful! You never said you could sing like that!"

Erik smiled modestly. "It's your turn to go on now, my love. Show the world what I already know." And he kissed her as she prepared to go out after the current performer.

Erik sat comfortably backstage when Christine went on, and she sounded every bit as wonderful as he knew she would. She looked beautiful in her gown, and every bit the diva she was meant to be. The piece she selected was a good one for it was sufficiently difficult and showed her range. He was confident she'd get hired at the Phil the moment she graduated.

When she finished, she also received a standing ovation, and Erik met her with a tight hug when she left the stage. Since he was to go on as the last performer before the intermission and play, Christine stayed backstage to hear him perform and to congratulate him before she would leave to go up to his apartment.

Erik began the piece that he had secretly composed and which by now had been heard around the world. Christine remembered her own reaction the first time she'd heard "An Overture for Mankind," and she could see from the audience's reaction that they were also enthralled by its hypnotic beauty. By the time it was over, she could see many in the audience with tears in their eyes and handkerchiefs as they again rose to give a standing ovation that was the loudest and longest of the evening.

As Erik left the stage, he walked to the opposite side from where he'd walked on from, so Christine made her way backstage to the other side so she could tell him how incredibly he did. When she reached the other side, she hung back when she saw him being congratulated by a significant number of people. Everyone wanted to shake his hand or give him a hug for a magnificent performance.

Joanna was among the many who wished to offer their congratulations, so Christine wasn't surprised when she finally put her arms around him and gave him a hug, but she was immediately angered when she saw Joanna give him a passionate kiss. She stood there watching because she wanted to see what Erik would do.

She got her answer almost immediately when it became obvious that Erik was passionately kissing her back.


	33. Post Gala

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers for reviewing, and to my editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover for their wonderful suggestions and assistance.

Chapter 33

Post Gala

Amir walked backstage after Erik's performance to congratulate him on a job well done, but on his way, saw Christine hurrying away towards the lobby. By the time he'd reached the crowded backstage area, he saw Erik and Joanna sharing a passionate kiss as they stood in the middle of a throng of people and realized immediately what was happening. Amir was furious and knew what he had to do in order to head off a major personnel problem.

When Erik and Joanna broke apart, Joanna looked breathless and happy, and Erik smiled at her before releasing her to shake hands and talk with others in the crowd. Joanna beamed as she made her way out of the crowd, but before she could leave to get ready for the play, Amir accosted her in the hallway.

"Ms. Koell, a word, if you please."

Joanna turned around, surprised to see Amir, and she noticed how handsome he looked tonight, although somewhat serious. "Good evening, Mr. Khan, I was on my way to get dressed for the play."

He was angry, but forced himself to remain calm. "Yes, I know, but before you go home tonight, could you stop by my office, please?"

"Of course, but can you tell me what this is concerning?"

"No, because I've got too much to do right now, but I'll see you later this evening."

"Okay, I'll be there." As she continued on her way to the dressing room, she had no idea what Amir could want with her after the Gala, but after Erik's kiss, she felt she could handle anything. Perhaps he wanted to talk to her about another part in a play, or perhaps he wanted to advance her singing level. Or perhaps…he had a more personal interest in mind…

----------

Most of the people backstage had left to change into their costumes for the play, but Amir knew that Erik would most likely change back into black tie than wear his performance clothing any longer than necessary, so he decided to wait for him in the wardrobe department and talk to him during the intermission. He waited about ten minutes before Erik finally appeared.

As Erik hung his tie and tails on the rack for the wardrobe mistress, Amir appeared from behind some costumes.

"That was quite a show, mon ami," he began.

"Yes, I think both the song and the overture were good choices." Erik turned to face him.

"I wasn't talking about the performance."

Erik sighed. "You're talking about Joanna. Yes, it was. You know I had no choice."

"I figured as much. I saw Christine hurrying away, she seemed upset."

Erik's features clouded. "I'd hoped she wouldn't see it, but now I'll have to do some damage control."

Amir nodded. "I'm going to have a talk with Joanna after the Gala. She'll have to watch her step from now on."

"Thanks, old man."

"Good performance, by the way."

----------

Christine couldn't even remember running from backstage to the elevator and then to Erik's apartment. When she reached the sixth floor, she hurriedly got out the key and let herself in. She closed and locked the door and then fell back against it, breathing deeply and brushing the tears away. She closed her eyes momentarily and thought about the many times Joanna's name had popped up ever since she'd first seen her that day at the Phil.

_Why did he do it, why did he kiss her? How long has this been going on? Did he think he'd play both of us, taking advantage of a good thing? If Joanna is what he wants, then he can tell me to my face. I'm not going to run from this._

Christine opened her eyes and then noticed just how quiet everything was compared to the lobby she'd just left. The apartment smelled of pine and the lights from the tree and a few other lights were already on so she wouldn't have to fumble in the dark. She made her way to the kitchen because she'd been too nervous to eat before her performance, but now that it was over, found that she was quite hungry. She went to the refrigerator and found enough food in it to make herself a grilled chicken salad and some iced tea. As she sat at the kitchen table, she decided to put on some music so it wouldn't be so quiet and walked over to Erik's stereo system. She turned on the radio and found it pre-programmed to jazz, so she kept it there.

Her heart was still pounding from her flight and she wondered if Erik had looked for her after his performance and noticed her gone? _After Joanna's kiss, will he even think of me?_

Anubis had finally gotten up and sauntered into the kitchen. When Christine saw her, she went to the pantry to see if she could find some cat food for her, but when she opened the pantry door, she had to stand there for a moment admiring its contents. The pantry was the largest and most well-stocked she'd ever seen, and she could tell at a glance that there was everything there that a gourmet cook could ever need. The cat food was on the bottom shelf, so she opened a can and placed it in a small bowl as Anubis eagerly meowed for her dinner.

It was close to 9:00 when Christine finished eating and washed her dishes and Anubis's bowl, so she had about an hour or so before Erik finished his duties. She wondered if he would come back as soon as the festivities were over, or if he would be detained for some reason….

She decided to explore the apartment while she waited.

She started in the living room and walked over to their newly decorated Christmas tree. It looked beautiful. They'd selected the tree topper together and it was an antique gold Christmas needle with a decorated concave bulb on the bottom and a pointed tip. It had reminded Christine of the tree topper from when she was a little girl, and so Erik had purchased it for her. The multi-colored mini lights were lit, and with the ornaments and tinsel, looked like a tree she could have seen in a magazine. As she knelt to look over the presents, she saw the ones she'd gotten for Erik, and as she picked through them, saw the one's he'd gotten for her, which were more numerous. She also saw gifts from other people – Megan, Amir, Rick, Roan, _Joanna. _She wondered what Joanna could have gotten for Erik. Her curiosity piqued, she picked up the square box and shook it. It made no sound, but was a little heavy. She supposed she'd have to wait for Christmas to see what it was, if there was even going to be a Christmas together now…

As she walked around the living room, she took note of the photographs, pictures on the wall, statuary, and his collection of DVDs by the plasma TV. _He certainly knows how to live_ she thought as she walked from one area of the living room to the next. Even his furniture was unusual, much of it obviously from overseas. Everything was so beautifully decorated that she still found it hard to believe that Erik had done it himself.

On one of his coffee tables was a dark wooden box with white cranes on the lid. Christine looked closely at it and admired its beauty. There was a carved flower sitting atop the box and she picked it up, wondering why a man would have a flower at all. But as she looked at it and comprehension dawned, she began to feel a warmth in her nether regions, and desire.

She walked into the kitchen next and looked into all the cabinets and drawers. She was impressed with his collection of fine china, eating utensils, and glassware, and it was obvious he took his cooking very seriously. He'd been duly impressed by her own gourmet dishes when he'd been over for dinner, and she'd wanted to invite him over again for another gourmet meal, but now…

She then walked into the bathroom and linen closet, and again, was impressed by what she saw there. All of his towels and linens were made of Egyptian cotton and were of the highest quality. He tended toward dark colors, but everything was color-coordinated and in sets. He seemed partial to expensive French-milled soaps and shampoos, and she noticed a lack of medicines in his bathroom medicine cabinet, except for a small bottle of aspirin, so that told her he was quite healthy, which she was glad for. She also noticed how clean everything was, almost like a new house.

She went into his studio next and walked amongst his music collection, his recording devices, and his library of scores. Lastly, she sat at his piano, the great grand piano that sat like a sacred treasure in this enclave where great music was created. It was a beautiful ebony instrument that shown like lacquer under the lights, and the name Steinway was embossed in gold above the keys. She depressed one key to hear the note, and it rang out clear and true. She imagined the hours Erik must spend here composing from the fruits of his wonderful imagination. How incredible it must be to have such a gift she thought. Whereas she was like this instrument, singing works that were already composed, Erik was truly the treasure to be able to create something from nothing. She felt privileged to sit in his seat before his most treasured instrument.

She walked into his bedroom last.

----------

Joanna finished changing out of costume after the play concluded and took it back to wardrobe. She'd hoped to catch up with Erik after the show, but unfortunately had to meet with Amir. She made her way up to his office on the fifth floor wondering about this late-night meeting and whether it would be about business or pleasure. She knocked lightly on his door.

"Come."

She walked in and was surprised to find Erik there as well, seated on a corner of Amir's desk. This was going to be about business.

Amir motioned to a chair for her. "Please sit down."

Joanna sat and looked from him to Erik expectantly. Amir began by explaining the purpose of the meeting.

"Ms. Koell, one of our duties at the Phil is to oversee personnel and make sure things are running smoothly. When we see a potential problem, we try to head it off before it becomes a problem that affects the company. After Mr. Dupont's performance this evening, you went up and gave him a kiss, is that correct?"

Joanna was stunned and could feel her cheeks getting warm as she glanced briefly at Erik. "Yes, that's right."

"Were you aware that Mr. Dupont is in a relationship?"

Joanna stared at him. "I saw him with Ms. Karlsson this evening, but I thought they weren't dating any longer," which was the truth.

Erik and Amir exchanged a brief glance and Amir continued. "Ms. Koell, if Mr. Dupont is in a relationship, do you understand why he kissed you back?"

Joanna was now feeling distinctly uncomfortable and wished she were anywhere but here. "No," she said softly.

"You could say that Mr. Dupont and I are on the front lines when it comes to putting a face on the Phil. Whatever we do directly impacts what people think of the Philharmonic and how they want to be involved with it. If they disapprove of any of our programs or activities, they withdraw their support. Mr. Dupont was surrounded by well-wishers after his performance this evening when you kissed him. If he had refused to kiss you, it would have been an embarrassment for both of you, and it would have reflected badly on the Phil. By kissing you, he headed off potentially embarrassing publicity and everyone continued to believe that it was from the excitement of the moment. Do you understand?"

Joanna was shocked, and she could feel tears beginning to form. "Yes, I understand," she whispered, struggling to keep from crying.

"The Christmas Gala receives a lot of press, and tomorrow morning you're going to see pictures and a big write-up in the Arts and Entertainment section of the paper. I don't know if Erik's name will be mentioned, but your name and mine definitely will be. Everyone that works at the Phil has an obligation to put their best foot forward because this is a civic organization, and if any of our employees has a problem doing that, it would be a liability to keep them around. Do you understand, Ms. Koell?"

"Yes, sir," she said softly.

"Good, that'll be all then. Goodnight, Ms. Koell." The meeting was concluded.

But before she left, she turned toward Erik and said softly, "I'm sorry if I've caused you any problems. I promise it won't happen again."

Erik merely nodded, acknowledging that he'd heard her, but he was still upset, imaging what Christine must have thought…

----------

As she walked into his bedroom, Christine wasn't going to peek into his drawers or invade his privacy by getting into his private things, but she did want to take a closer look around to see how he lived. The lamps on the nightstands were already softly lit, as was the fireplace, so she walked up to the bed. She was already familiar with it and loved it not only because it was so comfortable and stylish, but for what it meant to her now since it was where Erik had first made love to her. She playfully ran up and threw herself onto the bed, but as she did so, unwelcome thoughts again started to intrude and she began to wonder if Erik had ever made love to Joanna in this bed where he'd first made love to her. She shook her head and tried to banish those thoughts and imagined instead what it must be like to live here, on top of San Francisco, amidst all this luxury. She'd never seriously considered what living up here must be like before, but now that she had time to think of it, found that it still seemed too unbelievable. She pushed herself up on her elbows to see the view from this vantage point. The room was large, but not too large, and directly in front of her was the fireplace, and next to that were the bookcases. By the left wall was the dresser and then the door.

She got up and walked over to the dresser. She'd never really looked at it before, but she admired the masculine decorative touches that were Erik. He was apparently into dark woods and had a large, manly-looking jewelry box sitting in the middle of the dresser top, pushed up against the mirror. She opened it and was amazed to see how much jewelry he had. He must have had at least a dozen watches of different styles, and as she picked one up, noticed that it had diamonds in it. She tried to read the name on its face and saw that it said 'Cartier.' There were also various stick pins, tie tacks, bracelets, neck chains, and rings, all of which looked very expensive. She remembered the diamond tie tack he'd once worn and she took it out and looked at it, turning it around to see its maker. 'Tiffany.' Christine shook her head and placed it back in the drawer.

She wandered over to his walk-in closet and was amazed that it was almost as large as a second bedroom, but what caught her attention immediately was the elegantly framed picture that hung on the opposite wall as soon as she walked in. It was _her, _and she was nude. It was a beautiful black and white photograph of her in the mask Erik had gotten for her. She was asleep, and her breasts were visible. She was shocked. Of course no one would know it was her behind the mask unless they knew of that night, but it was disconcerting to find one's naked ass up on someone's wall when you had no knowledge of having been photographed. Yet as she looked at it, she had to admit that it was beautiful. If she'd seen it at a gallery, she might have purchased it for her own boudoir. _Did Erik ever take nude pictures of Joanna?_

As she looked around the closet, she noticed a slim set of drawers and pulled one out. Ties, dozens and dozens of them. Against another wall was a rack with different styles of shoes. She went over to his racks of clothing and looked through them. There were rows of suits, coats, shirts, trousers… She'd never seen so many clothes in a man's closet before, it was like being in a menswear store. She walked over to an elegant cabinet and expected to find a number of men's colognes, but was surprised to find just one in a sleekly stylized smoky gray bottle – Le Phantome. She unstopped it out of curiosity and brought it gingerly up to her nose. It was _incredible. _It smelled like Erik, and she loved it. She remembered the first time she'd inhaled its fragrance, when he'd sent her that first letter, and she smiled at the bittersweet memory.

She walked back out to the bedroom and went over to his bookcase. She'd seen it before, but decided to take a more detailed look at his books. At eye level she'd seen his books on music, art, and architecture, so she knelt to see what was on the bottom shelves. _The Kinsey Report, Kama Sutra, The Perfumed Garden, An Anthology of Erotic Art, The Encyclopedia of Sexual Positions, The History of Pornography… _

Hmm…. She looked up at the next shelf. _Mein Kampf, War and Peace, The Rights of Man, Famous Utopias of the Renaissance…_

Erik was obviously a very well-read man. As she straightened, she noted a number of music boxes from his collection and was tempted to open them to hear the tunes they played, but remembering the last time she tried to look at one, decided she'd best not. As she walked to the far end of the bookcase, she again saw the erotic figurines and the Persian music box that she'd almost opened her first time there. She wondered again what was in it when she noticed the addition of another music box next to it. It was the one she'd given him as a gift before he'd taken her out on a date.

She wondered if he'd put anything in it and picked it up. She almost felt guilty for wanting to peek inside, but it was the music box she'd given him after all. She opened it slowly and the music began to play. She saw that there was indeed something in it, and so she brought it over to the nightstand to see it better. She bent closer to the light and almost dropped it when she saw what it was and gasped…it was a lock of her hair, tied with a narrow black ribbon. _When did he cut my hair?_

"Still curious, my dear?" a voice sounded in her ear.

Christine yelped and whipped around. Erik was leaning casually against the door frame and was watching her. She hadn't heard him come in. She noticed that he'd changed back into black tie after his performance and that his tie was now loosened, the top two buttons of his dress shirt undone. _God, he looks great.._

"Christine," he began quietly

"Why?" she asked evenly.

He looked at her and saw the anger and hurt, and in her eyes, a pleading. If she was the mature woman he believed her to be, he thought that she might understand...but what if she didn't? There was a very real possibility that she wouldn't. But he couldn't lose her...not now...

She slowly shook her head as she stared intently at him. "Why?" she whispered.

Erik looked at her steadily and began to explain. "I wanted to see you after the performance, but people were coming up to me. Joanna was one of them, but when she kissed me, I had to kiss her back, I didn't have a choice."

"What do you mean you didn't have a choice?" she asked tersely.

He began slowly. "It's important that people have a good impression of the Phil, because that's how we get our support. If they see anything they don't like, they'd withdraw it and we'd no longer be able to support our productions. When Joanna came up to me, we were surrounded by people who were important to us, and if I'd refused her, it would have been an embarrassment for the Phil and have reflected badly on us. But now, people will just remember it as an exciting moment after a performance. There wasn't anything else I could have done under the circumstances, cherie."

When Christine didn't say anything, he added, "Amir reprimanded her after the play, I was right there, and then I came up. Christine?" He held his hand out to her.

She looked at it and then looked up at him, remembering the moment and how shocked she'd been to see Erik passionately kissing Joanna. She even remembered thinking in her shock how perfect they looked together…two incredibly attractive people. Yet, she understood about appearances and how important they could be to a cause that was supported entirely by donations and ticket sales. And the manner in which Erik explained the event was so obviously truthful…just the facts, without embellishment or excuse. She knew he was telling the truth.

She took his hand and let herself be enveloped in his firm embrace. She thought she'd lost him…

"I love you, Christine," he whispered.

"I love you, too, baby," she whispered emotionally.

Erik looked down at the music box still in her hand and gently took it from her, replacing it on the bookcase.

"So the cat has still not learned that curiosity kills," he said softly. "How unfortunate, cherie, for now you must be punished."

"Pu…punished? What are you talking about?" _He's got to be kidding, after what I've been through tonight?_

Erik went over to the bookcase and took something down from the top shelf and then made himself comfortable in an overstuffed chair by the fireplace as Christine stood, staring. She was shocked when she realized that the object in his hand was a riding crop.

"Get undressed," he ordered as he held the crop in his hand, gently tapping it on his leg.

"Erik…" She couldn't believe he would actually use that thing on her.

But before she could approach him, he suddenly brought the crop down forcefully on the arm of the chair, making a sound that left no doubt that its purpose was to cause pain. Christine flinched and stared at him. He looked more than willing to use it if need be.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Christine," he said evenly.

As she stared at him in disbelief, she slowly reached up and began to pull the pins out of her hair as Erik looked on. When her hair was completely free, Christine started to remove her gown, which she hadn't bothered to change out of. Erik watched closely as her gown dropped to the floor. As she lowered the thin silken straps of her slip, she hoped that Erik would appreciate that she'd taken the time to purchase a new slip and underwear. As her slip fell to the floor, Christine stood there momentarily in just her bra and panties; she'd already taken her shoes off when she'd first entered the apartment. Erik sat calmly, still tapping his leg with the crop.

"Keep going," he instructed. "I didn't tell you to stop."

"Erik…?"

The movement of the crop stilled, and he stared at her coldly.

Rather than risk his ire, Christine slowly reached behind to unhook her bra, and then lowered the straps and let it drop. Erik's eyes lowered to her breasts, and she could see the slightest beginnings of a smirk.

She placed her thumbs in the elastic of her panties and slid them down slowly. He followed the movement and she thought she could see his breathing quicken. She stood before him now naked as his eyes raked her from head to toe, stopping intermittently on her breasts and crotch. She wondered how long she'd have to stand there being ogled.

Erik finally rose from the chair and approached her. When he was within arm's length of her, he walked around her, looking at her from all sides. When he stopped, he swatted her lightly with the crop.

"Hey!" Christine flinched and glared at him.

Erik smiled devilishly and continued to circle, and then swatted her again.

"Ow! Stop that!"

"Lay down on the bed," he ordered.

Christine hesitantly did so and saw Erik get something out of a drawer. They were two long, red scarves. He tied one to each of the bed posts on the headboard so that there was a loop in each. He grabbed each of her hands in turn and had her place them through the loop and then grasp the scarf.

"You're bound," he said, "and you can't escape."

This wasn't exactly true for the loops were loose and her hands remained in them by her grasping onto them. She understood that she was to pretend she was bound.

He allowed his eyes to take their time drinking her in. The sight of Christine naked on his bed was causing him to have an obvious reaction, and when Christine saw this evidence of his arousal, felt her own desire begin to peak despite her earlier distress over Joanna.

Erik kept his eyes on her as he began to undress. He removed his tie and then his coat and placed it on a hanger. His eyes burned into her as he unbuttoned his shirt and removed it. Christine marveled whenever she saw the broad expanse of his perfectly sculpted chest and arms. _He could be a Greek statue _she thought.

Erik removed his watch, which was a masculine and stylish Movado, and then his rings, and laid them on the dresser. He went over to the chair and sat down as he removed his shoes and socks.

Christine was starting to fidget. Erik's slow and deliberate movements were having an effect on her, and the tingling she had started to feel in her lower regions were becoming much harder to ignore.

Erik removed his belt and slowly rolled it around his hand before placing it on the dresser next to his watch. He unzipped his trousers and removed them with his briefs until he stood before her naked, watching her reaction to him.

Christine thought he was the most perfect man she'd ever seen, and his mask only heightened his allure. There were no flaws, no imperfections that she could see, and his penis was erect and magnificent. Even as she looked at it, she could see the gleam of a drop of fluid on its tip, and her heart began to pound and her breathing quicken.

Erik could see her desire, her need, and he intended to fill it.

He approached her slowly and Christine stared into his eyes until he was at the bed, and then she lowered her gaze to his cock for it was now directly in her line of sight. "No matter what, you will not move," he instructed. "Otherwise, I'll have to punish you."

Christine remained looking at him as he climbed onto the bed. She kept her grip on the scarves and didn't move.

He laid on top of her, supporting himself on his elbows, and began to tease her nipples with his tongue and with his fingers. Christine fidgeted. "Don't move, cherie."

She moaned. "Erik…"

"Shhh, or I'll have to gag you," he whispered. He sucked her breasts and worked his way down to her stomach, licking and nibbling his way down. He spread her legs and then spread her lips and began teasing her clit mercilessly. God, he loved the way she tasted, and the way she smelled. He could never get enough of her…

He was driving her crazy. How could he possibly expect her not to move? She was straining against the bed and had her eyes tightly closed. It was all she could do not to moan or writhe from the indescribable ecstasy he was subjecting her to. Her nerve endings were firing wildly and the wave was building. She was going to come…until he moved off of her.

He began straddling her until he was even with her face, and he began to tease her with his erect cock. Christine was breathing harshly now and going mad with desire. He stroked her cheek with it, and then ran it along her lips. When Christine opened her mouth and tried to lick it, he pulled it away, shaking his head. "I said don't move."

He stroked his cock along her eyes, her brow, down the bridge of her nose, and then she felt him rub a drop of semen from his cock onto her lips. She licked it and tasted the purest essence of Erik, and this caused an immediate and urgent need in her to where she had to have him _now_. She thrust out her tongue in an attempt to lick him, and then tried to capture him in her mouth when he again pulled away.

He lowered himself between her legs again as he rested on his elbows. He began teasing both her nipples as he pinched and gently rubbed them with his fingers. She'd always loved it when he did that for it was almost as stimulating as being eaten.

"Do you want me, Christine?" he asked seductively.

"Yes," she whispered. She didn't know how much more she could take of this.

"Convince me."

Christine felt like she was on the verge of going crazy if he didn't hurry. She needed him desperately and he was dragging this out much too long.

"Erik, I need you. Please make love to me." Christine thought it was ridiculous she should have to ask for it.

He moved off of her so he was lying next to her on his side. He grasped and began massaging one of her breasts as he kissed her along her torso. "Go on."

"Erik, please make love to me _now." _She thought she was starting to sound a little desperate, although she was already there.

He kissed her along her stomach, her hips, and then between her thighs. "Or what?"

"Erik, _please! _You're driving me crazy!"

"Am I?" He began to lick her clit very gently, too gently.

"Erik!" She couldn't stand it.

"Hmm?" He teased her nipples as he licked her clit a bit more

_"ERIK, FUCK ME, PLEASE!'' _

He worked her clit with his tongue in just the way she needed in order to have the strongest orgasm possible, and her reaction was almost instantaneous due to his protracted foreplay.

She began to tremble violently and screamed when she suddenly exploded, writhing and thrashing beneath him viciously. It was all he could do to hold her down and stay in contact with her clit to prolong her orgasm. Erik was glad he'd gotten silk scarves rather than cotton for Christine would certainly have torn through them as she struggled. Her orgasm seemed to go on forever, and when it was over, Christine was exhausted and covered with a light sheen of perspiration. Erik rose from the bed and released her hands from the scarves and he could see that she'd fallen asleep immediately from exhaustion. _She's so beautiful _he thought as he looked down at her.

He wanted her badly. As he laid down next to her, she turned onto her side and spooned into his front, almost laying on her stomach, and he was able to insert himself into her from the back. It felt so different being inside of her this way as opposed to how it felt when she was awake, yet he still loved the feel of her. He buried himself deeply into her body as he thrust himself into her repeatedly. He groaned in satisfaction when he came and spilled himself into her as she slept on. He pumped into her a few more times until he was certain he had emptied all of himself into her. He loved the thought of depositing his seed into her. He rested his head against her briefly while his breathing slowed to normal and then cupped her breasts and teased her nipples until he finally fell asleep as well, his arms wrapped possessively around her.


	34. Christmas

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for the few you do not recognize.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers for reviewing, and to my wonderful editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover.

Chapter 34

Christmas

Christine awoke slowly, noticing first the feel of the fluffy down comforter, and then the plushness of the mattress. She knew she was in Erik's bed for even her own bed didn't feel as comfortable or as luxurious, and as she opened her eyes, she remembered the dramatic events of the night before, and she sighed deeply. She'd truly thought then that it was over, until Erik explained why he'd kissed Joanna, and by his explanation had brought her back from the brink of despair. She knew that if she were in his position, she would have done the same.

When she turned over onto her back, she saw that Erik was already awake and was propped up on his elbow watching her, a gentle smile gracing his lips.

"Merry Christmas, mon amour," he said softly.

"Merry Christmas, baby," she returned with a smile.

He placed an arm around her and kissed her tenderly. "Our first Christmas together."

"Yes, it is," and she stretched happily. She felt a sense of excitement in that fact and looked forward to seeing his face when he opened each of her gifts to him.

"Are we all right again?" he asked hesitantly.

Christine looked away momentarily to gauge her feelings. "Yes, we're okay. I love you," she said gently, "I always will."

Erik smiled in relief and brushed her hair back. "When would you like to open the presents, my love?"

"How about after breakfast?" she grinned. She could hardly wait, but she suspected that Erik was just as anxious to open them as she was.

"After breakfast it is. Let's get up and shower and I'll make you a breakfast that'll knock your socks off."

So they both got up and took a nice hot shower, and Christine washed her hair with Erik's French shampoo and conditioner, which she loved. They scrubbed each other again when Christine noticed for the first time the scars that criss-crossed the whole of Erik's back.

"Erik, what happened to your back!" Christine stopped scrubbing and felt the smooth skin that showed the faded scars of a life long ago.

Erik raised his head and turned from her. He didn't want to remember anything of his past while he was with Christine, and wished he could forget the past altogether. "It's a long story, cherie, not one that I want to remember on Christmas day." He turned to let the water rinse over his hair. He hoped he'd never have to tell the tale of those 'rosy' days.

When they finished bathing, Erik tied on a robe and offered to make breakfast while Christine dried her hair. About twenty minutes later, Christine presented in the kitchen and smiled broadly when she saw Erik setting out plates of bacon, blueberry crepes, slices of honeydew melon, and small glasses of pink grapefruit juice.

"It looks wonderful!" she smiled as she took her seat at the table.

"Now, normally I would not abide reading at the table, but we will make an exception this morning because it is a special occasion," Erik announced as he held a newspaper.

"Yes, it's Christmas," Christine teased.

"That's right, but more than that, you are now on your way to becoming famous, at least in San Francisco."

Christine wondered what he meant when he opened the Arts and Entertainment section and showed her a full-color page of different scenes from last night's Gala. There was a beautiful picture of Christine during her solo, and the caption underneath read, "Incredible new talent Christine Karlsson of the Garnier Conservatory performing her solo."

There were also pictures of the other performers, and she saw that there were pictures of Erik, too, but none of the captions identified him by name. _How strange_ she thought, considering that he got the lion's share of the applause and standing ovations. There was even a picture of Erik and Joanna backstage with their lips seemingly welded together with the caption reading, "Featured performer rewarded with a kiss for an outstanding performance." _Featured performer? Why didn't they include his name? Even Megan's name was listed as part of the play._

A lengthy article accompanied the photographs, and she read it through quickly, noticed a brief biography of herself as a solo performer and mention of other performers, even Megan. But no mention of Erik.

"Erik, you got most of the applause last night, and you have pictures here. But why isn't your name mentioned anywhere?" Christine quickly scoured the rest of the article, searching for his name.

"It's my wish not to be identified. I rather enjoy my anonymity. Unlike some performers, I can walk down the street and not be mobbed," he said as he looked at another part of the paper. "The people I work with know what I do, and that's all the notoriety I need or want."

Christine set the paper aside and thoroughly relished her breakfast and noticed that it was filling, yet light. She was developing an idea for dinner and decided she'd make a gourmet candlelit dinner tonight and serve it out on the patio so they could dine under the stars.

When they finished breakfast, Christine helped Erik rinse the dishes and place them in the dishwasher before they retired to the living room. Since it was again overcast outside, Erik lit the fireplace and they sat before the tree in anticipation of opening the presents. Christine loved that they were spending Christmas together and hoped it would be the first of many.

Erik retrieved his digital camera from the bedroom and insisted that they take pictures before the tree before they proceeded to the presents, and Christine happily obliged. He took several of them together and individually before the tree, next to it, and with gifts in their laps as they smiled and cuddled for the camera. When they were done taking pictures, they both decided to open the gifts from their friends before opening the ones to each other.

Erik reached under the tree and brought out a beautifully gift wrapped box for Christine, announcing per the tag that it was from Megan. But before she opened it, Christine reached in and selected a gift for Erik, the tag indicating that it was from Amir. As they both began unwrapping their respective gifts, they were each amused to see how carefully they each did so, folding the paper and setting it aside with the ribbon as a matter of habit.

When Christine opened her gift, she grinned broadly when she saw that it was a very elegant pyjama set of pink satin with a pair of matching fuzzy slippers. Christine loved them. When Erik unwrapped his gift from Amir, he smiled broadly when he saw it and Christine saw that he'd received a very elegant man's bracelet. Erik examined it closely and seemed very pleased by it, but Christine wondered why he would be since she knew he already had numerous bracelets, but she liked this new tradition of giving each the other's gift and thought it was fun.

They reached in again and Erik handed her a package from Rick as Christine handed him a box from Madame Gerard. When Christine opened the box, she saw that Rick had gotten her a beautifully hand-crocheted shawl. She loved it and knew that it would go with everything she had. As Erik opened his gift from Megan's mother, he saw that it was what looked at the outset to be a type of erector set, but in fact was another type of puzzle. He had to erect _something_ from the metal girders, railings and screws that were in the kit without leaving anything loose. This was right up his alley.

They reached in again and Erik handed her a small gift-wrapped box from Roan as Christine handed him the large gift-wrapped box from Joanna. As she watched Erik open Joanna's gift, she wondered what she could possibly have gotten for him. When he finally opened it, her first words were, "What's that?" She'd never seen anything like it and had no clue as to what it could be. To her, it merely looked like a beautifully decorated lacquer ball on a base.

"It's a puzzle," Erik replied. He could feel that it had weight, although most lacquered pieces were not that heavy, so he knew it contained another surprise in the center. But after the last surprise, he knew he'd have to open it when Christine wasn't around.

Christine began opening her gift from Roan and could see that it was some jewelry, judging by the size of the box. When she lifted the lid, she saw that it was a beautiful gold locket. It looked very elegant and she lifted it up for Erik to see.

"Hm, nice," he muttered. _Is this the best the boy could do? _he thought smugly.

Christine looked at it closely and brought it nearer so she could open the latch. When she got it opened, she saw that there were already a couple of pictures in it of a young man on one side and a woman on the other and figured that they came with the locket. But as she looked closer, they suddenly seemed very familiar until she gasped and placed a hand over her mouth in shock.

"Christine, what's the matter?" Erik wondered why a gift from Roan should cause her to have such a reaction.

Christine couldn't seem to take her eyes off the two pictures. "They're my parents…when they were young!"

Erik took it from her and looked at them. He could see Christine in each of their faces, especially the woman's. Roan could only have gotten them from Rick de Chagny. He handed it back to Christine, but he was angry. _Even though she's with me now, that boy still tasks me. He's counting on her past to stay in her heart…but I'm counting on her future. _

Christine stared at it for awhile, but then placed it back in the box and set it aside as she reached in for another gift. Erik was glad she didn't moon over it in front of him, but he knew it was a keepsake she would treasure always. He tried to put it out of his mind for now because he wanted this day of days to be perfect.

When they'd opened all the gifts from the rest of their friends and acquaintances, Christine reached over and gave Erik her first gift to him, and Erik presented her with his first gift, which came in a rather large, flat box.

When Erik opened Christine's gift, he was amazed to find a set of intricately fashioned wind chimes made from the seashells that Christine had collected from the island. It was lengthy and beautifully made and was interspersed with more seashells, beads and pieces of colored crystal.

"No matter where I am, whenever you hear it, you'll know that I'm thinking of you and that I love you," she explained softly.

"Thank you, cherie, I love it." Erik kissed her gently and marveled at the time and effort that it must have taken for Christine to create it. He would hang it in his patio and treasure it always.

Christine opened her gift, and was surprised and awed by an elegantly framed painting that had Erik's name in the corner. It was a beautiful painting of them together in a garden of roses, yet it looked as though it could have been a photograph. "Thank you," she whispered, and she kissed him sweetly. "It looks so real, it's amazing." She put it aside, but knew she'd study it more closely once she got it home.

They dipped into the gifts again and each gave the other another box. The box that Christine gave to Erik was large and tall, and when he opened it, he was surprised to find a beautiful two-tier topiary of a rose bush, and it had perfect blood-red tea roses in bloom. He loved it, and he smiled broadly. It was beautiful and elegant in its pot, and he would keep it close to him in the house.

Christine opened the small box from Erik and saw that it was a bottle of perfume. She unstopped it and inhaled the scent. She closed her eyes and was swept away by its exquisite fragrance. It wasn't overpowering, and neither was it too fragrant. It was wonderful and ethereal in its subtlety. She looked closely at the beautifully stylized bottle and saw that it was called _Aria_. _How fitting_ she thought. Erik had his signature scent, and now she had hers.

They reached in for the third time and Christine pulled out a large box for Erik and he pulled out a medium sized box for her. She wanted to see him open it, so she waited before she opened hers. When Erik took the lid off the box and uncovered it, he was stunned. It was a violin. "Christine…"

"It was my father's," she said softly. "It was his most prized possession, but I never learned to play it. I'd like you to have it."

Erik was overwhelmed. He knew this was no ordinary violin…it was a Masters Classic. He hugged her tightly and kissed her. "Thank you," he said reverently. "I'll treasure it always."

"I know you will," she smiled. She was glad she could give it to someone who could truly appreciate it.

She opened her next gift and uncovered a poem that had been beautifully framed. The title was _To Christine From Erik, _and she read it out loud.

_Skin that stretches_

_Across bodies,_

_Across their fullness, varies_

_In weight and thickness._

_It breaths and expands _

_As it goes where it is taken,_

_To places that change_

_Its color, deepen its hue._

_Our skin preserves us_

_And gives us limits._

_It is the barrier _

_Between what is us_

_And what is else_

_And it is what separates_

_You and me_

_But when we are close _

_And touching, full_

_And yielding, our bodies_

_Become limitless._

_Then, there is only you_

_And me_

_And the exhale_

_Of your skin_

_Becomes the breath_

_Of mine._

Christine smiled and marveled at his careful choice of words. It was Erik's way of letting her know that they were now a part of one another.

"Thank you, my love, it's beautiful. I love it." And she kissed him again.

Most of the gifts that Christine gave Erik had sentimental value more so than monetary, but he loved them all. But the gifts from Erik were nothing short of exquisite. Jewelry and clothing, and her favorites were the painting of them together and the poem. Erik's favorite were the wind chimes, for it would be his connection to Christine when she wasn't with him, and he also loved the topiary.

"Oh, I almost forgot about this one," he teased, and he held out another small gift-wrapped box to Christine.

When she opened it, she saw that it was a small Chinese lacquered cube with inlaid abalone shell in the lid, but when she tried to open it, found that it wasn't really a cube, but a mystery box. Erik explained what she had to do to reveal her gift, and she set about moving aside the simple panels until she reached the center, which held a small pouch. Christine loosened the tie that held the pouch closed and upended the contents until it spilled out onto her palm, and she saw that it was a key hooked onto an elegant keychain. She looked up at Erik in shock. This couldn't possibly be what she thought it was…

"Erik… you didn't..."

Erik smiled at her look of stunned surprise and stood, extending his hand.

"Come, let's go take a look at your new means of transportation."

He led her to the elevator and they made their way down to the car condo, which Christine had never seen. When they exited the elevator, Christine faced more luxury vehicles of different styles in one place than she'd seen in her entire life. Erik led the way, and as they passed an office, an older gentleman stepped forward to greet them.

Erik smiled and greeted him. "Morning, Luc, I'd like to introduce Ms. Christine Karlsson. She'll be visiting from time to time."

"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Karlsson," he smiled warmly and extended his hand. "Do let me know if I can be of assistance."

"Thank you," she smiled. She and Erik continued to make their way through the elegant garage and finally stopped before a sleek sportscar.

"Here we are," he smiled. "I believe your key will fit this one. Would you like to hop in?"

Christine gaped at the brand new sandalwood-colored Jaguar he had pointed to. She reached out and touched its low-slung roof and then walked over to its hood.

"This is _mine_?" she asked in a strained whisper. "The whole car is _mine_?"

"Yes, it is," Erik chuckled. "I don't believe it comes in pieces."

"Oh, Erik!" She threw her arms around him and kissed him repeatedly. "Oh, my god, thank you!"

"Why don't you hop in, and we can take it out for a spin," he suggested.

He opened the door for her as she gingerly stepped in and sat in the driver's seat, and she noticed immediately that it was all leather and had that new car smell. She checked out the controls and saw that it had a multi disc player, GPS, cell capability in the visor, and even a cooler in the middle console for a couple cans of soda. This car was fully loaded and then some.

Erik climbed into the passenger side and they were ready to go. She put her key in the ignition and started it. It started extremely smoothly and purred quietly as she pulled out of the garage. She was very pleased with how it handled, and it felt like it was made for her. Christine was elated. She'd never thought she'd ever find herself behind the wheel of a luxury car, much less one that she owned. She drove them around several blocks before returning to the car condo. When she alighted from the car, she hugged and kissed Erik again and again.

"Thank you, baby," she whispered. "I don't know what to say."

"Just tell me you love me," he replied softly.

"You know that I do. I love you, baby. I love you."

They got into the elevator and went back up to the apartment, and Erik set about making them a light lunch. Christine announced that she would be making dinner that night and would begin by going to the store in her new car around three o'clock, and so while Erik made lunch, Christine made a shopping list of the things she'd need for dinner.

When lunch was ready, Christine helped set the table as Erik brought out a platter of Persian wraps. When she asked what they were, he explained that it was a recipe he'd learned to make while he was overseas and that it was very simple and tasty, and indeed it was. It was mortadella meat, dill pickles, and fresh basil leaves rolled in lavosh bread and then cut in slices. They were decoratively held together with colorful toothpicks and Christine made a mental note to add this to her recipe collection.

As they feasted on the Persian wraps, Erik placed some money on the table. "This is for the groceries, and while you're out, I'll go by and see Amir. I'll call him and have him send Megan over."

Christine thought that was a great idea. She'd get to spend some time with her best friend, and then she and Erik would have a wonderful Christmas dinner together. She smiled as she picked up another Persian wrap and thought of how incredibly happy she was. She and Erik were together, and everything was wonderful. She sent up a silent prayer of thanks with a secret smile.

"Is there anything I can do to help you get dinner ready, cherie?" Erik asked.

"Nope, I think I've got it under control," she grinned. She was looking forward to the evening because she was going to pull out all the stops for tonight's dinner.

Erik called Amir to make sure it would be all right to pay him a visit and told him that Christine would enjoy Megan's company while they visited for awhile. Christine was glad to hear that Megan would be coming over to visit soon.

They spent a quiet afternoon together until it was almost three o'clock, and then Erik took his leave to see Amir as Christine at last opened the door for Megan.

"Merry Christmas, sis!" Megan said cheerfully as she hugged her tightly.

"Merry Christmas, Megan!" Christine was glad they could spend at least part of the day together and felt that this was the most wonderful Christmas she'd had in years.

As Megan walked into Erik's living room, Christine smiled and thanked her for the pyjamas and slippers and Megan thanked her for the silken Chinese bathrobe. She had to smile at Megan's awe. "Honestly, Christine, our men just don't believe in doing things half way, do they?"

Although she'd never thought of it, Christine suddenly realized that it would stand to reason that Amir would live in similar luxury considering he was the music director of the Phil. She hoped she'd someday be able to see Amir's apartment as well. She had quite a few items on her shopping list, so they were soon going down to the car condo where Megan got her first look at Christine's Jaguar.

"Oh my god, Christine, it's beautiful! Can you believe it!" Christine grinned as they climbed in and Megan seemed totally over the moon. It was truly a luxurious ride, and she loved all the built-in amenities. As they talked on the way to the store, Amir had apparently also purchased a car for Megan, a sporty Mercedes, and they made a date to go out to lunch the following week so Megan could show it off. They were having such a great time and promised to spend more time together.

After their grocery shopping, Megan helped Christine lug everything upstairs and Christine began collecting the ingredients as Megan looked on seated from the counter.

"So what are you guys doing for dinner this evening?" Christine asked as she got down some bowls and a plate.

"Amir's taking me out to dinner somewhere, but he didn't say where. I think he wants to surprise me. He said to dress up, so I'm going to wear this gorgeous gown he got me for Christmas. What are you making for dinner?"

Christine grinned. "I'm making Moroccan seafood. Erik used to work in the middle east, so I thought I'd surprise him with something he probably hadn't had in awhile. Did you know that most Moroccan food is eaten with the hands?"

Megan raised her eyebrows. "Planning on eating with your hands tonight?"

"No, of course not. Well, not all of it anyways. It's very sexy feeding each other. We fed each other sushi before…and it was _very_ nice," Christine purred.

"Yeah, we've fed each other before, too, but it wasn't dinner," Megan smiled mysteriously. "Don't you look at me like that, missy! I was talking about dessert!"

Christine blushed and pretended to be engrossed in reading her recipe. "These recipes don't take that long, so everything will be ready by six. Let's go outside and decorate the table. We'll be eating under the stars tonight."

As Megan helped decorate the balcony, she asked about the other night. "I understand Joanna was disciplined last night."

Christine sighed deeply. "Yeah. I think she's been trying to get Erik's attention ever since she got hired, but she just went about it the wrong way last night."

"How do you feel about that?"

"Well, I don't like it of course, but it's up to Erik who he's going to love, and he loves me."

"And you don't feel like kicking her ass at all, do you?" Megan asked coyly.

"Oh yeah I do," Christine replied firmly.

Christine started making dinner when they returned to the kitchen while Megan sat at the counter and watched. "So how's everything been with The Great Dupont? Are you guys doing okay?"

Christine smiled beautifully. "Yes, everything's been wonderful. I think we're going to be okay. Oh, Megan, he makes me so happy! I really love him."

Megan smiled broadly and her eyes grew misty. "I'm so glad, Christine. He loves you so much, Amir told me. You're everything to him."

"And how about you guys? Everything cool?"

"Yes, Amir's wonderful and everything's been great."

"Has he told you he loves you yet?"

Megan shook her head. "No, but he will when he's ready. His actions speak louder than words anyways."

Christine looked at her in admiration but had to wonder. "Why do you suppose he's having such a hard time saying it?"

Megan looked away briefly. "I really don't know, but like the rest of us, he's a product of his experiences. He's got his reasons, but when he wants to say it, I'm sure he will."

"Have you told him you love him yet?"

"No, because I don't want to pressure him. If I say it first, he'll feel obligated to take the next step when he might not be ready to, and I don't want to go there."

Christine looked up from what she was doing. "You're my hero," she said sincerely.

Megan just smiled and fingered her necklace. "He got this necklace for me before, and then he got this bracelet for me for Christmas." She held out her hand and Christine gasped at the beautiful diamond tennis bracelet gracing her wrist. "If he doesn't love me, then he's sure spending a lot of money on someone he just likes," she chuckled.

Christine went around the counter to give her a tight hug. "I love you, sis. I love both of you."

Megan hugged her back. "I know, and we love you guys, too."

* * *

"Thanks for the bracelet, old man. I've always wanted one like it, and it looks nice, too." 

Erik and Amir were sitting in the living room over glasses of another margarita recipe as Erik removed the bracelet from his wrist and looked at it. He grasped both ends of it and pulled it apart, and a thin, flexible wire extended itself from both halves.

"I'm glad you like it. It's just like the ones the CIA has. And thanks for my cane."

Erik had given Amir an elegant dress walking stick which Amir now held. He pulled it apart and from the shaft of the stick was revealed a saber. He stood and gave it a few swipes, and it made a swishing sound as it rent the air. "Well balanced, too."

Erik noticed an elegant Christmas tree in the corner of Amir's apartment and admired it. He thought Amir and Megan had done a nice job of decorating it together.

Amir re-sheathed the saber and sat down. "How's Christine doing today? Is she all right?"

Erik nodded. "Yes, she understood the situation, and I think she's okay. I just hope Joanna keeps her distance."

Amir took a sip of his margarita. "I think she will. If she doesn't, then I have no problem letting her go. How are you guys doing?"

"We're doing fine, she's wonderful. She's making dinner for tonight." He looked steadily at his best friend and smiled. "She makes me happy."

Amir smiled back and nodded. "You deserve to be happy, mon ami."

"And what about you, my friend? Have you told Megan you love her yet?"

Amir looked away as though he didn't want to talk about it. He sighed and stood up, and stepped away. "I can't," he whispered.

"Why not?"

He began pacing. "You of all people shouldn't have to ask. You were there."

"We were both there, old man. We both did our jobs."

"I don't want to hurt her, ever."

"I don't believe you will. How do you think you might hurt her?"

"If I should ever become angry with her, or if she does something that displeases me…" Amir shook his head and said softly, "You remember how I was."

Erik went over to him. "No, how we both were, but those were different circumstances, different times. Those women were murderers and countless people died by their hand, and you were never in love with any of them. Megan is different. She's a good woman, and so is Christine. She loves you."

"She never said she did."

Erik placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. "That's because she's also a smart woman, but she does, my friend. She does."

* * *

Erik returned home at exactly six o'clock, and the smells that greeted him from the kitchen the moment he stepped out of the elevator caused his mouth to water immediately. The smells were wonderful and familiar, yet he couldn't quite place them. When he walked into the kitchen, Christine wore an apron and was placing the food in attractive serving bowls and platters. _She looks so domestic_ he thought as he surprised her by wrapping his arms around her from behind and nuzzling her ear. 

"My love," he murmured. "Everything smells so wonderful. What have you been up to?"

Christine turned her head and kissed him. "For our Christmas dinner, we're having Moroccan food…sea bass with Moroccan salsa, Moroccan style spicy shrimp and mussels, and stir-fry summer vegetables with couscous."

Erik hadn't had such fare since the banquets at the royal palace in Mazanderan over a decade ago, and he'd had no idea that Christine could even cook middle eastern food. He was deeply impressed and touched that she should make something from his past that was one of the few positive memories he had of that time.

He helped her carry the food to the table that was already set up on the balcony, and saw that she'd spread a white tablecloth on the table and set it elegantly with china, silver, and tall candlesticks. The outdoor heaters were also lit so they would be comfortable, and the outdoor Christmas lights that were already there made the entire scene look very romantic.

They took their seats and began to fill their plates with the delicacies. Christine poured from a beautiful pitcher an icy beverage into large cocktail glasses, and Erik was surprised to find that it was a very flavorful quince beverage very much like a margarita. He was impressed.

Since it was the custom in Morocco to eat many foods by hand, Christine took a piece of lavosh bread and wrapped it around a piece of spicy shrimp to feed to Erik. He took a bite and closed his eyes as he savored the delectable flavors he remembered. He in turn took some Boston bib lettuce and wrapped it around some shrimp and fed it to Christine. Their dinner was a slow, relaxed affair and Erik enjoyed it immensely.

When they'd finished eating, they brought everything inside and put the food away and rinsed the dishes. They sat in the living room for awhile and relaxed as they listened to some smooth jazz. Erik was thinking about how easy this day had been, waking up with Christine, having breakfast, celebrating Christmas together, seeing his best friend, and then Christine making dinner. _Is this what life could be like together? Relaxed, coming home from work with dinner ready, Christine meeting me at the door? Could such a life be possible for me…a wife, and perhaps even children?_ Before this moment, such a thought had never even crossed his mind.

It was almost eight o'clock when Erik decided that it was time to present his last gift to her.

"Mon amour, I have something else for you. Please come with me."

Christine followed him to his studio and stood by the piano as he took his seat before it.

"This piece is for you, my love, and it's entitled _'For Christine.'"_

As he began to play, Christine felt truly honored that he would actually compose and dedicate a piece to her. She knew that he was a genius, and that he would do this for her was the greatest tribute she could ever receive.

It was incredibly beautiful, and Christine was so captured within its strains that she hadn't realized that tears were streaming down her face. It was the most beautiful piece she'd ever heard, and it was for _her._ Erik played on for about ten minutes, and when it was over, she couldn't help but place her arms around him and bury her face in his chest as the tears continued.

"Thank you, baby," she whispered hoarsely. "That was the most beautiful piece I've ever heard in my life."

"I was able to write it because you inspired it, my love. This piece will be marketed and will become a classic. Do you remember the old songs _'We've Only Just Begun' _and _'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head'_? This song will surpass them and will be timeless. Here, cherie, this is for you."

Erik handed her a large envelope that had been on the piano.

"What's this?" Christine asked, perplexed. When she opened the envelope, she took out some legal looking documents that had her name on them.

"This is a trust fund, my love, for you. When this song is marketed, it will be very lucrative, and all royalties from it will be directed into this fund for you, to be reinvested through the years. You'll never have to worry about money again, nor will you have to work if you don't want to. You'll be able to devote your life to music if you wish. If anything ever happens to me, or to us, I'll at least know that you will always be taken care of."

Christine looked at the papers, stunned. She was set for the rest of her life. She was crying before she could even speak.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you." She buried her face in his embrace and cried for all she was worth. "How can I ever thank you for something like this?" she asked brokenly.

"Just love me, cherie," he whispered, "that's all I ask."

* * *

Author's Note: The poem was by my friend, Glaen Redeker.


	35. Belief

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers and to my wonderful editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover.

Chapter 35

Belief

_Tuesday_

It was business as usual at the Phil, but there was an uncharacteristic lightness in his step and cheerfulness in his demeanor as Erik went about his duties. Rehearsals had resumed in earnest for the new production that was to premier in January, and Erik had attended a rehearsal and found that everything was coming along well. He'd seen Joanna on a couple of occasions, during a break and afterwards, but she seemed to be avoiding him, for which he was grateful.

He'd played Christine's piece for Amir the day before, and he'd been duly impressed. The wheels had been put in motion for it to be released in about a month or so, and the Phil would receive a portion of the proceeds in return for its management of it. Amir admired the fact that Erik had set up a trust fund for Christine out of the proceeds of the royalties to come, but knew that for Erik, one piece, despite its success, was still considered small potatoes. Although most of the world was unaware of the sum total of Erik's contributions to music, his international musical influence and the resulting fallout could be calculated to be in the billions, and the amount returning to Erik to be in the hundreds of millions. He was possibly the wealthiest and most powerful commercial musical influence in the world.

The atmosphere around the Music Center always seemed more cheerful than usual the week between Christmas and New Year due to the elaborate decorations being left up until after the new year after it was found that this boost in morale actually made a difference to their bottom line. And so the decorations stayed up, but that didn't seem to make a bit of difference to one who seemed to go through his days with an uncharacteristic scowl.

"So what's up? Did Santa leave you more coal than presents this year?" Rick asked playfully as he looked across the office to another desk.

Roan glared back. "I got presents, from my family, girlfriends, you, Christine…"

"What did you get from Christine? She got me a matching pair of leather gloves and earmuffs."

"She got me a cowboy hat."

"What? You're kidding."

"No, actually it's pretty nice, I like it. I'll be able to wear it when I go to rodeos and western events at the Cow Palace." He grinned for the first time. "And thanks for getting those pictures for me. I put them in a locket for her."

"Good, I know she'd really appreciate it. I understand she's back with Erik Dupont again."

Roan's features clouded again. "Yeah."

"So what happened with Joanna and Erik after the performance? I saw their picture in the paper."

"I don't know, but it looks like he's trying to play both of them. I heard she gave him a blow job after rehearsals one night."

"You're kidding. Have you ever met her?"

"Yes, I met her briefly at the Gala, but she doesn't strike me as the type."

"I know, that's what I thought, too. She seems too sweet, but that's rumors for you. Why don't you go ask her out? Get your mind off of Christine." Rick tapped his pen on his desk.

"It's not exactly that easy," he muttered.

Rick looked at him sympathetically. "Believe me, I know. But if you really love her, you'd want what's best for her, and if she's happy with Erik, then you should be glad for her. He's a good man, and he'll take good care of her."

"I don't know…I'll think about it." He got up and decided to take a break. He didn't need to hear Erik's praises.

He walked over to the elevators and went downstairs, thinking that some fresh air out in the courtyard for a few minutes might help to clear his mind. He walked through the lobby and through the glass doors, and seeing that the weather was overcast, he wondered if it would rain. He went over to sit on one of the wooden benches dotting the courtyard and stared out at the Christmas decorations that would be up until after New Year, as well as the other buildings making up the Music Center. Everything seemed eerily quiet in the courtyard, but he wasn't sure if it was because it really was or because he was so lost in his thoughts. _Christine…_

_She's with Dupont now. He'll never let her go, and she'll never want to leave him. Shit, I never had a chance. Not even the mask bothers her any more. But she was almost mine, I almost had her…until he came back for her. And why wouldn't he? No man in their right mind would let someone like Christine go. Did I love her? Yes, I did…I do! And I do want what's best for her, but _I'm _the best, not him. But there's nothing I can do now. I can't make her fall in love with me…_

He blinked and thought he'd felt a raindrop hit his nose. He stood and made his way back to the lobby and then to the elevators. As he stepped in and pressed a button, someone else stepped in before the doors closed and pressed the button to the sixth floor. Roan turned and was surprised to find himself standing next to Erik Dupont. He was taken aback by this unexpected encounter, but automatically nodded to acknowledge him, though it seemed to him that Erik merely smirked. Roan continued to look at him in the reflection of the elevator doors until it reached his destination on the fourth floor, but Erik's expression didn't change, and by the time he left the elevator, Roan was certain that Erik had been laughing at him because he'd been able to take Christine away from him so easily.

He strode quickly to his office and tore off his jacket, throwing it forcefully into a chair. Rick glanced up from his work when he heard the jacket hit the chair and saw Roan pacing before a window, obviously agitated.

"Um, you want to talk about it?" he asked.

Roan stopped and looked at him angrily. "Dupont…" And then just shook his head and threw up his hands.

Rick looked at him steadily as Roan stood by the window and fumed. He pushed his chair back and approached his best friend, hoping to reason with him.

"Roan, look, I know what you're feeling, I've been there. But if she's truly happy, you've got to let it go, otherwise it'll just eat you up, and then you won't be any good to anybody. It's her choice who she wants to be with, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"I almost had her," he said quietly. "But then he took her back the next day. If he hadn't come back, she would've been mine."

Rick shook his head. "She was mine for two years, but she decided she wanted him instead. You can't make her love you."

Roan looked up and gazed out the window, his eyes suddenly cold. "Yes, I can, and I will. I'm going to get her back…and maybe she'll even be the one I marry."

Rick had seen that look before, when they were children growing up and going to prep schools, when they were older in high school, and then in college. He knew that Roan wouldn't give up until he got what he wanted, but it wasn't his determination that concerned him…but his methods. From having sat in on meetings with his father, Rick knew that Roan's family had attained success and wealth legally, but perhaps not entirely ethically, and that was probably the biggest difference between them. Although they were best friends, Rick would never bend the rules or do things at anyone's expense just to get his own way. But he knew that like his older brother Philip, Roan had no compunction about doing just that.

* * *

It seemed to Erik that he and Christine were starting to settle into a kind of routine after work. When he finished work at five, Christine would meet him at his apartment and either have dinner ready or he would bring something home to eat. She'd made a simple meal for them last night, but they'd decided that he'd bring some Gaston's home for tonight, and then they'd be able to eat in the living room while they watched a movie. 

It was wonderful spending their evenings together, and the atmosphere was mellow and relaxed as they ate and watched the latest movie, read to each other, or played an exotic board game. Christine loved that there was always something for them to do and that she was never bored. And at night, when they went to bed, there was never any awkwardness or uncertainty with what they wanted to do because they knew they had all the time in the world. If they chose to make love, they could take their time and indulge in whatever they wished. But if they were tired, it was enough to just hold one another until they both fell asleep, and then happily wake up next to one another the following morning.

Christine loved being with Erik and sharing his life, and Erik had never been happier. She fulfilled him, and he found that there was no feeling of want or emptiness when Christine was near. He was happy, and being with her was his greatest joy. The music that flowed through his mind now was prolific and beautiful, and he seemed a veritable fountain of new ideas. When he and Amir would confer during the day, he noticed that even Amir would inspire new musical directions from his relationship with Megan. Erik smiled inwardly, noting that even Amir couldn't deny what he was feeling even if he couldn't give voice to it.

* * *

Megan had dinner ready and on the table when Amir walked in that evening, and he smiled as he kissed her warmly. He went to the bedroom to remove his shoes and get comfortable before returning to the dining room, and as he walked in, Megan was lighting the long tapers on the table. Tonight she'd made pot roast with vegetables on the side, mashed potatoes, a green salad, and garlic bread. Although she was very capable of preparing gourmet fare, she often enjoyed the simple things, and was glad to see that Amir loved her cooking whether she went all out or not. 

When they were seated and were enjoying tonight's meat and potatoes, they quietly went over their day and what was new or interesting. When there was a lull in the conversation, Megan looked up and saw Amir looking at her with a tiny smile on his lips as he chewed silently.

"What?"

He shook his head as his smile grew, and he finally asked, "When we first met, why didn't you have a boyfriend?"

She looked at him as though this were a trick question. "Excuse me?"

"Why weren't you with anyone? Why were you still single, unattached, alone?"

"Oh," she smiled, as though she just got it. "That's because I was waiting for you."

"No, seriously, why were you still unattached?"

Megan's smile faded and she looked at him directly. "I am being serious, I _was_ waiting for you." In its simplest form, this was the absolute truth. She'd been with Christine when Christine had fallen in love with Rick and then with Erik, and she had always wondered when it would be her turn, finally concluding that she'd just have to wait

Amir considered her words as he played with his pot roast.

"Would you like some more mashed potatoes?" she asked politely.

He nodded and she passed the bowl to him.

"You know, I could ask you the same question. You work around the most beautiful people in the city. Why weren't you attached when we first met?"

Amir was silent as he thought about this. It wasn't that he wasn't attached…

"Were you waiting for me?" Megan asked expectantly.

"No," he answered honestly.

"You weren't?" Megan felt her heart drop a little.

"No, I wasn't waiting for anyone. I've always been too busy to think about it really."

Megan gazed steadily at him. _Duh! Of course he wasn't waiting for you! A guy like that doesn't need to wait for anyone. I guess I should just be glad he even noticed me… _She'd already either seen or met a number of his previous girlfriends and remembered how awed she'd been by them, their beauty, their sophistication…nothing like her.

Amir wondered if he was being entirely truthful. He'd been with many beautiful women over the years, slept with them and got to know them, yet he never stayed around long enough to develop a serious relationship. Why was Megan so different from all of them? Of course she was beautiful, but certainly not more so than the professional dancers and actresses that he worked with every day. Yet he never felt the need to move on and start a different relationship when he was with her, and he wondered why.

He'd always treated his women well while he dated them, lavishing them with exquisite gifts and loving them to their heart's content. But when he tired of them, he'd suddenly become very scarce and disappear, not that any of them complained very much for they were always left with thousands of dollars in jewelry, which he had no doubt were sold for a tidy profit. But such things meant nothing to him. The gifts he bestowed were merely a means to an end, and he could always buy more.

But Megan…she was so much more than just jewels or trinkets. She'd appreciated the gifts he'd given her, certainly, but he'd always had a feeling that she didn't really care about them…that it was _him_ that mattered most of all to her. He didn't think he could be wrong about something as important as this…

He noticed that Megan was looking down at her plate, lost in her own thoughts. He pushed his chair back and quietly walked over to her. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders and bent low to whisper in her ear, "You're the one I want, Megan. I want you to stay with me."

Megan turned her head to look up at him and kissed him deeply as a single tear slowly slid down her face. She stood and wrapped her arms around him. She loved him so much and wanted to tell him so, but not yet…

"Besides," Amir murmured softly as he gazed into her glistening eyes, "where else could I get such an incredible pot roast?"

_

* * *

Wednesday _

When Erik had awakened, he noticed immediately that Christine was not beside him. But as he raised himself up, he could smell the wonderful aroma of bacon and eggs. He got up and tied a robe around himself as he made his way to the kitchen, and was pleased to see Christine bent over the stove wearing only a long apron.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. "Good morning, love."

Christine smiled as she went over to the oven. "Good morning! I have a special treat this morning –.breakfast casserole!" She got a large baking dish out of the oven and set it down on a trivet on the counter.

Erik noticed that his mouth had started to water. It certainly looked delicious as Christine placed some on his plate with a couple strips of bacon and some melon. "You're incredible," he said between mouthfuls. It was wonderful.

Since Christine had to return home and run some errands, they took a quick shower after breakfast and got dressed.

"Will I see you tonight?" he asked.

"Of course you will. I'll be over again around seven tonight."

Erik walked her over to the elevator and they shared a lingering kiss before saying their goodbyes. He looked at her endearingly as he stroked her face. "I love you so much," he whispered.

The elevator doors closed and she was gone.

* * *

The day went by normally at the Phil with all departments coming down from a very successful Christmas Gala and gearing up for the new production. Erik had come down to the theater around four in the afternoon to watch the rehearsals and saw Amir talking with some of the orchestra members, and he waved when he saw Erik in his usual seat in the balcony. He noticed that whenever Joanna would see him, she seemed to do her best to stay out of his way and not look at him. He felt rather sorry for her and wished they could have started out on a better foot. Even so, with her considerable talents, he was certain she would excel at the opera if she behaved herself. 

When rehearsals concluded at five, he got up and walked downstairs to get to the elevators in the lobby. Christine would be over at seven, so he wanted to shower and get cleaned up so he could be ready for her. He was almost to the elevators and he could hear someone nearby speaking quietly into a cell phone, but he froze when he heard his name mentioned.

"…with Erik Dupont now."

He looked around to see where the voice had come from and realized it was from one of the tall wing-backed chairs in the lobby. Whoever it was had his back to him and was faced away from the elevators

"Yeah, she's been back with him about a week now, but before then, she was with me."

_It's that pup, Roan Richards! _

"No, but it was long enough, and I almost had her. Oh yeah, she's sweet, man. She tasted so sweet! Yeah, she's really hot, and her body is just gorgeous…her tits, and her pussy was shaved!" He chuckled at the memory.

Erik stood only a few feet away from the chair now so he could hear every word clearly.

"Naw, she was with him since the Bal Masque, but she was getting real tired of the mask 'cause he wouldn't take it off." A pause. "No, he wouldn't take it off for her."

_Who is he talking to?_

"We were really getting close and she was gonna leave him, but then he went over there and got her back the next night. I went to see her after that to talk to her, try to convince her, and I thought she was gonna come back. Yeah man, she was so hot, kinky, too…yeah, she liked that, too. She goes for being tied up, and she's into pain…it turns her on. And she likes it up the ass! She came when I fucked her there…god, she was so hot, and she was so loud I thought her neighbors were gonna start to complain," he chuckled softly.

Erik was reeling. He was talking about his Christine!

Roan kept talking softly so he wouldn't be overheard by anyone walking by. "Oh man, and talk about your talent, it's no wonder Dupont wanted her back. Oh yeah…she knows how to work it, and she swallowed it, too. God, I was doing her every which way, but then we had a fight over her going back to him and I left. What? I don't know, I heard he was playing around with that new soprano, Joanna. You heard that too, huh? Yeah, she gave him a blow job, lucky fuck."

_The boy knows about Joanna! He was with Christine after I'd seen her and he fucked her…in the ass!_

"No, she's back with him now, but I'll bet you anything that she'll end up leaving him because of the mask, because she was really fed up with it. She said she liked looking at me because both sides looked the same. Can you believe it?...No, not really, just in passing, but he's seriously fucked up. He almost beat me up once just because I told him he was lucky to have her. No, I'm not kidding! He's crazy!"

Erik had heard enough. He walked quickly through the carpeted lobby and out the glass doors to the courtyard. His mind was reeling. _Christine was with that boy after I went to see her that night…she made love to him, and he fucked her…_

Roan turned when he heard the glass doors open and close, and he saw Erik hurriedly walking away. He lowered the phone as he continued to watch him make his way over to Gaston's, and he smiled as the phone continued to play…"Good evening. The current time is 5:22 p.m. and 30 seconds….Good evening. The current time is…."

* * *

Amir was in a very good mood. The rehearsals had gone off perfectly and he felt that everyone was ready for their opening night, which would be in about another week. He was amused by Victoria's reaction to Joanna having been promoted to second soprano. _Perhaps Victoria wouldn't feel so threatened if she kept on top of her own game. But at this rate, unless she can take direction to put more feeling into her parts, I can see her days as the reigning diva being numbered. Her voice is as beautiful as ever, but now it's all about her. She's apparently forgotten that divas are divas because of the parts they play, and not because of their own personalities. _

When he'd commended Joanna on her improvement, Victoria had been livid and left the stage immediately after they'd been dismissed. Joanna accepted the praise modestly, but he was sure that it meant a great deal to her after her recent reprimand. He'd felt almost sorry for her in that she'd had to be disciplined so soon after her arrival, and especially because she had come to this country alone, but if she took it to heart as an opportunity to improve herself as she seemed to be doing, then he was certain she would succeed, and so far, she was right on track.

As he closed up his office and locked the door, he decided to walk over to Gaston's and grab a drink before heading home. He smiled as he thought about walking through his door tonight. Megan would be there to greet him. How he loved coming home to that woman! He smiled even broader as he realized he was becoming quite besotted with her. How was it that she knew just what it was that pleased him, from what he liked to eat, to their conversations, and even the little things, like her scratching his back when they'd first wake up, or greeting him with a smile whenever they'd meet? Yes…Megan was different from every other woman he'd ever been with…

As he walked into Gaston's he saw that it was crowded for a Wednesday evening. It looked like all the tables were filled, and the bar was crowded as well, and the noise level was a little higher than he would have liked, but he didn't expect to stay long. He stepped up to the bar and placed an order with the bartender.

"Evening, Marc, I'll have a Grolsch." It wasn't often that he indulged in beer, but he was feeling good and looked forward to relaxing this evening with Megan.

As he looked around, he recognized most of the people there from around the Music Center and the Phil. He didn't normally socialize with anyone but Erik unless it was for business, but he felt that was only because they understood each other so well. Their shared experiences in Persia had left an imprint that few would understand or ever want to. As his eyes swept the room, he saw someone in a booth with his head in his hands and a drink in front of him. He got up and walked over to him.

"Erik?" He looked down at him, but getting no response, decided to sit down. He thought Erik looked like hell and was immediately concerned. "What happened?"

Erik stirred and lowered his hands. He glanced briefly at Amir and then downed a drink that Amir took for whiskey. He just shook his head and looked away.

Amir was worried for he'd never seen Erik like this, even in Persia. "Promise me you won't do anything until you talk to me, my friend."

Amir took his leave, but Erik stayed at Gaston's amid the noise and chatter and brooded, not wanting to return home just yet. He'd thought long and hard about Roan's telephone conversation and couldn't get the images out of his mind. _Roan and Christine…he'd touched her intimately…he'd tasted her…he'd fucked her…and she'd swallowed... _He ordered another drink…and another…and another…

He got up finally and decided to go for a walk around the grounds. He knew he'd have to talk to her, but he didn't want to. He already knew that it was all true. _God, what was I thinking! How the hell did I think she could ever love just me? She never was comfortable about the mask, and I can understand her wanting a handsome man with a whole face, like Roan's. _

_"Yes, just what _were_ you thinking?" _his conscience mocked. _"Did you think _any _woman could just love_ you_? You're pathetic! Look at you!"_

A sob broke through his carefully ordered persona, and he fell back against a wall as he closed his eyes and made a wish. _God, if there is a God, I want to die…. This life holds nothing for me now. There's no hope, no love…there's nothing in this life for me. Please, please just kill me…I don't want this life any longer…I just want it to end now. Please just let it end…_


	36. The End

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers, and a special thank you to my wonderful editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover for their outstanding help and suggestions on this chapter. The teamwork was incredible.

Chapter 36

The End

It was close to 6:00 when Amir arrived home, and he was deeply concerned for his best friend after just having seen him at Gaston's. He automatically assumed that something must have happened with Christine, for he couldn't imagine anything else reducing Erik to such a state. Perhaps he would go and see him later tonight or tomorrow morning to find out what had happened.

When Amir walked through his door, he could tell that something delicious was afoot. As he approached the kitchen through the dining room, Megan had prepared an elegant cocktail and brought it to him in a frosted glass before wrapping her arms around him and kissing him soundly, a proper welcome home after a hard day at work. He saw that she was barefoot and dressed in one of his dress shirts, and he assumed naught else. Her hair was up and had a few wisps attractively undone on the sides…he thought she looked incredibly sexy.

As Megan brought the serving dishes out onto the table, Amir went to the bedroom to change. When he returned, they took their seats at the table and he was pleased to see what Megan had prepared. Tonight's main course was linguini with white clam sauce, a green salad with homemade Italian vinaigrette dressing, baked bruchetta on slices of baguette, and a glass of Pinot Grigio. Simple but elegant. _Definitely a keeper. _

Dinner was an enjoyable affair with Amir even helping himself to seconds, but Megan knew that there was something weighing heavily on his mind.

"Anything I can do to help?" she asked gently.

Amir looked up, again impressed by her insight. Most women took his moments of silence to mean that he was starting to tire of them, or was bored with their conversation, or any number of things having to do with _them_, but Megan was always aware of _his_ emotional barometer and if _he_ were well, and he loved that about her. He truly believed that she placed his well-being above her own. This was a new experience for him, but one that he deeply appreciated and frequently thought about…

"I saw Erik downstairs at Gaston's and he looked terrible. I think something's happened between him and Christine, but he wouldn't talk about it. Has Christine said anything to you?"

Megan was immediately concerned. "No, I haven't seen her since Christmas and I haven't heard from her. I'll call her later and see if she's all right."

Amir sighed. "I hope they're all right. I don't think he'll ever love anyone like this again."

He placed his hand over Megan's and gazed at her steadily. _Nor will I _he thought.

* * *

Christine was worried. Erik had never been late before, ever, and he hadn't even called to tell her when he'd be home. They hadn't made any plans for dinner, so she hadn't made anything. She'd even gone downstairs to see if he was still in the theater, but it was dark and empty. It was almost nine o'clock and she was about to call Megan when she heard the front door. She rushed out of the kitchen to greet him, but froze in her tracks when she saw him. His hair was a mess and his clothes were in disarray, yet it paled compared to the look in his eyes…icy, accusing, murderous… 

"Erik?" Christine was in shock, she'd never seen him like this. "Are you all right? What happened?"

Erik closed the door and kept his eyes on her, but said nothing.

"Erik…what happened?" She hurried over and was about to put her arms around him, but he quickly brushed past her.

"I have to take a shower," he muttered as he strode to the bathroom.

Christine stood rooted to the spot as she watched him walk away. She didn't know what to think…

* * *

Christine was in the living room. She'd lit the fire in the fireplace and was standing with her arms wrapped around herself, just staring into the fire, waiting. She'd spent the day running errands and paying bills, taking care of Pinecone, and doing laundry. She came over exactly at seven and had expected Erik to be waiting for her, but she was surprised to find an empty house. She'd fed Anubis and then went over to the bookcase and grabbed a rather interesting book on utopias and read until Erik came home. It was almost 9:30 now and he was still in the shower. 

She hadn't heard him come up behind her when he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head against her hair.

"I love you so much, Christine," he whispered.

Christine closed her eyes and leaned back into him. "I love you." He smelled fresh and clean from his shower. She wondered if he was okay.

After a few moments, he spoke. "Christine?"

"Hmm?"

"How intimate were you with Roan?"

She opened her eyes, immediately startled out of her relaxed state to one of high alert, and she stiffened, her tone guarded. "I didn't sleep with him if that's what you're asking."

He snorted softly against her hair, and in an almost mocking tone, "No, that's not what I asked, but thanks for the information. What I asked was, how intimate were you with him?"

She straightened and tried to pull out of his arms, but he held her fast against him. "Let me go, Erik."

His arms were tight against her and he whispered roughly close to her ear, "Not until you tell me what I want to know, my love."

She didn't want to go into how Roan had almost made love to her that night, and it was something she'd tried to forget ever since. Christine tried to pull away, but he wouldn't loosen his hold. "Why do you need to know?" she asked warily. She was beginning to feel very uncomfortable.

"I have a right to know," he said softly. "I have the right because I love you."

She stopped struggling and turned her head toward him. "Oh, you mean like my right to know what's behind your mask because I love you? You mean that right?"

Erik released her then, the mocking tone gone. "You know very well that's not the same."

Christine rounded on him at this. "Oh, but I believe it is, my love. I believe I have as much right to know as you do. I want to see your face because I love you!"

Erik turned and advanced toward her. "But you didn't answer my question, Christine. How intimate you were with him? Or do you not want to tell me because you're ashamed of what you've done with him? Tell me, would he eat you before he fucked you, my love? Did you suck his cock and then swallow when he came in your mouth?"

Christine was shocked. "What are you _talking_ about? _Are you drunk?" _

Erik laughed madly as he backed her to the wall and continued his tirade. "Oh no, my love, I unfortunately am _not_ drunk! I only wish I were! Tell me, my philandering slut, can I fuck you in your ass as well? Since Mr. Richards says he's already been there, I'm sure his tiny cock has stretched you sufficiently to accommodate me!"

Christine gasped and instinctively lashed out, slapping him viciously and whipping his head to the right, causing his hair to fall across his face. Everything seemed to quiet instantly except for the sound of his mask flying across the living room and skidding across the floor.

Erik's face was still turned from her, his hair still over his face. Christine couldn't see anything.

"I…I'm sorry," she stammered. "I didn't mean to do that..."

But slowly, ever so slowly, he began to laugh…gently at first, and then louder, until he was standing upright in profile and laughing madly so that she could only see the left side of his face.

"Erik…?" _He has to be drunk, he's never been like this before._

When his laughter died, he suddenly grabbed her and turned her around so that her back was to him, and he held her tightly. His shoulders began to shake, and she could tell that he was crying.

"Oh, Christine," he murmured, "there is no life for me without you." He brushed her hair from the side of her face and placed a lingering kiss upon her temple.

His heart cleanly broken, there was nothing left to do. Summoning his resolve, he whispered softly, "Go back to your boy, Christine." He released her then and walked over to his mask and picked it up.

"Erik..."

He turned to face her, his mask still in his hands, but he was backlit so that his face was in darkness.

Christine was stunned. "Erik, what do you mean? _You're _the one I love…I'm not going anywhere! I didn't do anything wrong! Let's talk about this…!"

But he was done, it was over, and he turned and walked to his studio, closing the door. Christine heard the lock being turned, and soon began to hear him playing his piano loudly, an angry, tempestuous sound.

_NO!... NO! _Christine could feel panic building. She ran up to the studio door and tried the doorknob, but it was locked. She automatically began pulling and turning it, and when it wouldn't open, began pounding on the door and cried, "Erik! _Erik! _Open the door! Please! You can't do this! I haven't _done_ anything! Erik, please, I love you!" She was quickly approaching hysteria, but she couldn't stop. She was crying and screaming and out of control. _"Erik! Please! I didn't do anything! Why won't you believe me? I love you! You can't just leave me! You CAN'T!" _

He could hear her screams and cries as she tried to tear down the door. He was crying, too, and placed his hands over his ears because he couldn't stand to hear her anguish any longer. He had to get away, so he let himself out through a secret door in a far corner of the studio and was in his Ferrari on his way to oblivion before she even realized he was gone.

* * *

Christine was crumpled on the floor against Erik's studio door. She was still crying and didn't know how long she'd been there, but she knew he wasn't there any longer. Her feeling of desolation was overwhelming…she was completely alone. She closed her eyes tightly as though to hold back reality and the hysteria that lay just beneath a surface of calm. _Why? Why did he do this? Why did he leave? I didn't do anything…I didn't do anything…_

_Roan! He's_ responsible for this! She would have gone over to see him immediately if she knew where he lived, but she'd never been to his apartment. But perhaps he could be online, and then maybe she could get some answers.

But first, she had to take something of Erik's before she left, something that would forever be a reminder to her of him. She felt weak and shaky as she stood, and she walked unsteadily into his bedroom. She looked around, and her eyes fell upon the erotic figurines. There were two sets, so she took one of them. She wrapped them carefully in Kleenix as her mind wandered back to the day he'd purchased them from her. She blew her nose and wiped her eyes.

She took one last look around the bedroom and in his walk-in closet to look at the photograph he'd taken of her in the mask. She went over to the bed, gazed lovingly at it and laid down upon it, feeling the bedspread and remembering the smell of the pillow casings. She closed her eyes momentarily, reliving the first time Erik had made love to her in this bed, and then the time they returned from Paladin's, and then all the times after… She got up, her face tear-streaked, and retrieved her purse and everything else that was hers from the apartment…clothes, cosmetics…and then she stepped into the elevator that would take her down to the car condo where here car was parked. This would be the last time she would look upon this wonderful apartment that was her second home for two months…and the dark prince that lived within. She pressed the down button and the elevator doors closed for the last time.

* * *

He was on his laptop again, crunching numbers in bed so he'd be prepared for tomorrow's meeting. He really didn't mind bringing work home like this because the more he got done at home, the more time he'd have when it was done. And unless there was a major event like the Bal Masque or the Christmas Gala coming up, his weekends were usually free. He'd even had time to send an email to his dad, which he knew he appreciated, especially when so many sons and daughters of their friends all but ignored their families once they'd move out to make their way in the world. But he loved his family deeply and tried to keep in touch with them when he could. 

When he finished his work, he turned to the online news and read the headlines, but found that he was too tired to read the stories. He was about to turn off his laptop when an IM window suddenly appeared.

AriaMaven: Roan, are you there?

Roan was surprised to be receiving an IM from Christine since she'd never instant messaged him before.

SeraphM: Hello, and to what do I owe the pleasure of this IM?

AriaMaven: _WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU TELL ERIK?_

Roan hesitated as a slow smile appeared on his lips.

SeraphM: What do you mean?

AriaMaven: I want to know exactly what you told Erik about us!

SeraphM: Actually, I've never really spoken to him. Ever.

Christine stared at the screen, stunned by this wholly unexpected response.

SeraphM: Christine, are you there?

AriaMaven: He said that you talked to him.

SeraphM: About what? What's this about?

_That sure didn't take long _he thought.

AriaMaven: He said you told him things about us, about you and me. But if you say you haven't talked to him, then why would he say that?

Roan smiled as he typed his response.

SeraphM: We talked about this before, babe, but you weren't very receptive then.

AriaMaven: Then tell me now.

SeraphM: I told you before that he was with Joanna, but I also know that she gave him a blow job before he came to see you. I don't know why he'd tell you he spoke with me, but I think he's been trying to play the both of you.

Christine's tears started anew.

AriaMaven: But why? He said he loved me.

SeraphM: He kissed another woman right in front of you. Is it so hard to believe he'd accept a free blow job when you guys were broken up?

Christine was confused, nothing made sense. If Erik didn't talk to Roan, why would he say that Roan had told him those terrible things? Why would he make up a lie like that? And why would he be getting a blow job from Joanna! _Ms. Diamond Diva!_

AriaMaven: But that doesn't make sense. Why would he accuse me of doing something I didn't?

SeraphM: Jealousy causes people to do crazy things.

AriaMaven: What do you mean?

SeraphM: Were you with him when you opened my Christmas present?

AriaMaven: The locket. Yes, thank you, I loved it.

SeraphM: What did he think of it?

AriaMaven: He didn't really say anything, just that it was nice.

SeraphM: Did he ever strike you as being the jealous type?

AriaMaven: I never thought about it, it never came up.

SeraphM: As a man, I can guarantee that he's very jealous.

AriaMaven: But why would he just leave instead of talking to me first?

SeraphM: Because he's most likely also a very emotional and passionate man. He probably feels he already knows enough to warrant leaving.

AriaMaven: But how could he know about us? If you didn't talk to him, and I certainly didn't say anything, then how could he suspect anything? For all I know, how do I know that _you're_ not lying to me?

SeraphM: Why would I do that? I've always wanted the best for you, not to be in a situation that causes you so much pain.

AriaMaven: Roan, you've already proven that you wanted to get me in bed. What if you'd made this all up so I'd break up with Erik and start dating you?

SeraphM: That's really low, Christine. What have I ever done to make you think I could be so conniving?

AriaMaven: How about that time you tried to get into my pants?

SeraphM: I tried, but I stopped when you made it clear that you didn't want me to go any further.

Christine thought about this. It was true that he could have taken her that night, and she wouldn't have been able to stop him because she'd wanted him so badly, yet he'd stopped himself with more strength than she had.

SeraphM: Christine, a jealous individual is capable of lying and making up something to suit their needs. It's possible this just gave him an excuse to be with Joanna.

Christine felt a stab of pain at this suggestion.

AriaMaven: No, that's not possible. We just spent a wonderful Christmas together and we've had a wonderful time together since then. He told me he loved me, and I know he did. When he came home tonight, he was different, like something happened between this morning and by the time he got home. If he wanted Joanna, he could have stayed with her that night instead of coming back to me. None of this makes sense.

SeraphM: Christine, I know you want to think the best of him, but I've seen some unbelievable behavior from both men and woman over the years. Believe me, things like this happen all the time.

AriaMaven: No, I _know_ he loves me. Something must have happened and he couldn't tell me.

SeraphM: Christine, I'll only say this once – Erik isn't the one who loves you, and one of these days you're going to see that I'm right.

* * *

Erik was numb, his thoughts chaotic. He was alone again…completely alone. _It's strange_, _but I don't feel anything right now. No sadness, no pain…. _But he knew the pain would come soon enough, for he'd felt it enough times in his past to know its pattern by heart. By tomorrow, or maybe even later tonight if he should awake in the middle of the night, he would begin to feel the crushing pain that always accompanied such disappointments. It would be a darkness so black and unyielding that he would stay in bed for days. And when he'd finally leave his bed, it would be days before he would leave his home. And all the while he'd be under a cloud of gloom so vast and deep that it would seem endless. 

But it wouldn't take him tonight…no, tonight he would sleep and he would feel wonderful. There would be no pain tonight.

It was close to 11:00 when he returned to the Phil. He parked his car in the car condo and was glad to see that Christine's car was gone. It had been unbearable to hear her pounding on the door and crying hysterically out to him, and he'd had to leave when he could no longer stand it. His first impulse had been to throw open the door and take her in his arms…but he couldn't.

As he made his way to the elevator back up to his apartment, he thought about her last words. _"I didn't do anything!" _He wondered how she could tell such an obvious lie? How could Roan know about her being shaved if he hadn't seen it for himself, and their arguments over his mask, and even about Joanna! He would never have believed her capable of such treachery…but it was his own fault for thinking anyone could love him exclusively for himself when he hid half his face from them. He kept his face secret from her, and she apparently kept secrets from him as well… _Of course, why wouldn't she? _asked his conscience.

When he stepped into the apartment, he immediately noticed the coldness. The warmth that was Christine was no more, and he knew that it was because she was gone and had taken her things with her. He walked past the studio and realized he'd have to unlock the door, but was pained as he looked upon it, realizing the panicked frenzy with which she had tried to break it down in order to get to him. The door was covered with marks, evidence of her desperation. He walked to the bathroom and opened the drawers and medicine cabinet. All of her things had been removed. He then walked into his bedroom and looked in the dresser drawers and saw that she'd taken her clothes, too.

When he walked over to the bed he noticed the bedspread was shifted slightly and that there was an indentation in the pillow. _Christine laid in the bed before she left. _He again felt the pain in his heart at this knowing, but he stretched out his hand to feel the areas of the bedspread where she'd lain. He closed his eyes as he did this, somehow feeling closer to her by touching the spread where she'd been just hours ago. He laid himself down on the same spot, laying his head where hers had been, and could swear he could smell the fragrance of her hair in the pillow.

It was then that he realized that he hurt, all over. Not just his heart, but his entire body, right down to his fingertips and toes. The pain he had been expecting had started already. He took off his shoes and jacket and hung it up, and then took off his shirt. He was going to get ready for bed and got undressed.

He looked over at his bookcase and saw his beloved music boxes and erotic figurines…but there was only one set of them. He got up and looked at them, realizing that Christine must have taken the other set. She had taken the one of the couple in the missionary position, while the one he had now was where they were copulating doggy style. This reminded him powerfully of the terrible words he'd spouted to her in the heat of their argument…he couldn't blame her for leaving this set of figurines for him.

He began to realize then that he'd have some housecleaning to do since so many things reminded him of Christine. And next to the figurines was the music box she'd given him…another item to put away…and next to that was the music box from Persia with the bronze palm tree on the lid. He retrieved it now and walked into the bathroom as he looked at it and set it on the counter. It was one of the few things he'd kept of his possessions from that time for it had been a gift from the Shah's beautiful young daughter. He'd had it all this time and hadn't needed to use the items within that he'd kept for just such an emergency as now. He actually wished he didn't have to use it, but that was really a foregone conclusion because he knew that what he was feeling now would be crushing by morning if he didn't. No, the pain wouldn't take him yet. He would hold it off for as long as he could. He knew he'd have to deal with it sooner or later, but much better later than sooner.

He opened the lid and looked at its contents. Everything was as he'd left it so many years ago, untouched, but ready when needed. He knew exactly how much he needed because he'd been drinking tonight, and that made a difference compared to when he was sober. He took out a thin rubber tie and the bottle of solution, breaking open the cap and setting it aside. He fitted the syringe with a sterile needle and drew out the amount he needed, squirting it slightly to get out the air bubbles. He expertly tied the length of rubber around his upper arm to make his veins appear more prominent, and he soon found one, a familiar one. He made a fist and took the syringe in his hand, placing it against his vein and had a passing thought: _It'll all be better in the morning. _

He plunged the needle into his vein and depressed the syringe. He felt the initial burning at the point of entry, but then closed his eyes as he quickly began to feel the familiar euphoria overtake his senses. _Yes…it's wonderful…everything now is wonderful. No pain…no pain…_

When he knew the syringe was empty, he withdrew it from his arm and placed it back on the counter along with the rubber tie. It had been so long since he'd felt this way, floating, pain free….he felt _great_. He decided he'd go to sleep now, so he headed for the bedroom slowly, trailing his hand along the wall for support. He wasn't really seeing where he was going because he was so woozy and was relying on memory to get him to his destination. He knew he was almost there and let go of the wall, reaching out for the bed, but it wasn't where it was supposed to be. He was unconscious even before he hit the floor.


	37. The Day After

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: Many thanks to those who reviewed and to my wonderful editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover.

Chapter 37

The Day After

_Thursday morning_

It was about 8:30 in the morning when he pulled into the car condo and he could see that Erik was home. He also noted that Christine's car was gone. Amir took the elevator to the sixth floor and knocked on Erik's door, but there was no answer. He tried again. Worry wasn't an emotion he normally felt when it came to Erik for he knew the man was extremely capable in all situations and circumstances, but this was something new. He'd never seen Erik throw all of himself into something without a safety net of some sort as backup. Yet when it came to Christine, there was no backup, no safety net. He'd fallen for her and committed all that he was to her. Although the possibility that the relationship wouldn't work was very real and always looming, he never backed down from the possibilities of what could be if he gave it his all. And so he had.

Amir took out his keys and let himself into the apartment without Erik's permission for the first time since their acquaintance. They each had a key to the other's apartment for emergencies, but had never had cause to use them before now.

As he walked into the spacious apartment, he looked around and noticed the Christmas tree still brightly decorated. The fireplace was out, but that was because the timer had wound down. Everything looked fine so far…

"Erik?" he called softly as he walked through the living room and then the dining room. The dining room table was clear and so was the kitchen. It didn't seem as though Erik had had dinner at home last night. As he walked past the studio, he noticed that the door was closed. He tried it and found it locked, which was odd, and then he noticed the marks and scratches on the door. He wondered what could have caused this. He leaned his head toward the door to see if he could hear anything, but all was quiet.

He opened the door to the bathroom and peeked in. When he saw some items on the counter, he walked in with a shock of recognition. Morphine. He felt a brief stab of fear, knowing that an overdose was fatal, but looking at the bottle, could tell that a lethal dose had not been extracted. The syringe and rubber tie had been carelessly left on the counter, which could only mean that Erik had been high as he removed them from his arm. Amir quickly left the bathroom and walked to the bedroom.

"Erik!" Adrenalin caused him to move quickly to Erik's side when he saw him face down on the floor a few feet from the bed. He placed his fingers on his neck to feel for a pulse, and breathed easier when he found it. He placed his hand on Erik's back and was alarmed by how cold he felt. He was naked and had apparently been on the floor all night. Amir went to the bed and threw back the covers, turning Erik over as he picked him up and placed him gently in the bed. When he'd put the covers over him for warmth, he took out his arm and turned it over. There was the evidence, the purple bruising where the needle had been injected.

Amir sighed as he sat on the bed beside his friend who was like a brother. _After all these years, why did you do this, mon ami?_ _What has happened?_

He looked at Erik's face in calm repose and was again struck by the cruel irony that should cause one half of his face to be as handsome as a Greek god's, and the other half to be as ugly as a demon's. He reached over and lifted each of his eyelids in turn, studying the appearance of his pupils. _Constricted. _He again wondered what could have been so unbearable that he had to find escape again in this manner.

He needed to try to wake him to make sure he wasn't in a coma, so he gently slapped his face to jolt him awake. When that didn't work, he slapped him a little harder. If he was unable to wake him, he'd have to get him to a hospital, and he knew Erik would hate being surrounded by so many people.

When he still didn't get a response, Amir rested one knee on the bed so that he could face him and have the leverage to slap him a little more forcefully. He slapped him soundly twice, but got no reaction, so he raised his hand again. But before he could bring it down for the third and final time, Erik grabbed his arm.

Looking at him through glazed eyes, he murmured, "Do you realize how annoying that is?"

Amir smiled in relief. "Not entirely helpless, I see."

* * *

When she awoke, all was quiet and dark in her room. And when she opened her eyes, the events of last night returned full force in all its damning glory. She closed her eyes again to block out the images that swirled before her, but they only became more vivid behind closed lids. She turned over to stare up at the ceiling and remembered that she'd fallen onto her bed fully clothed and cried herself to sleep. 

She could feel a deep pain in her heart, and the feeling of desolation was overwhelming. Her tears never seemed to stop. She looked at the clock, and although it was already 8:30, she still felt exhausted. _I'm alone again _she thought. She couldn't imagine spending the whole day alone just to replay the whole scene repeatedly in her mind. She wondered if Megan would be able to spend the day with her, perhaps even spend the night? The possibility cheered her somewhat and she reached over to the nightstand for her phone, which suddenly rang, startling her and causing her to jump. She took a few calming breaths before answering.

"H-Hello?" she answered.

"Christine!" It was Megan. "Oh my god, are you all right? Amir called me this morning and said I should call you!"

"Megan…," she said in a small voice, "can you come spend the day with me, and maybe spend the night, too?"

"Oh, honey, of course I can! I'll pack my things right now and I'll make breakfast for you, okay? I'll be there in about a half an hour."

"Thank you," Christine whispered, her heart heavy. "Bye." She closed her eyes momentarily, thankful that she'd have Megan to talk to and that she wouldn't have to be alone today.

She slowly got up and went to the bathroom and prepared to take a shower. Just because she'd just had one of the worst nights of her life didn't mean she shouldn't at least try to be presentable when her best friend came over.

By the time Megan knocked on the door a half hour later, Christine had dried her hair and was wearing a comfortable fleece outfit. When the door was opened for her, Megan thought Christine looked tired, but smiled warmly and placed her arms around her in a tight hug. "How are you doing, sis? I hope you're in the mood for banana-nut pancakes!"

Christine smiled. No matter what the situation, Megan was always able to cheer her up and elicit a smile. "I've had better days," she said sadly," but I'm always ready for your gourmet pancakes."

When they brought Megan's shopping bag into the kitchen, Megan insisted that Christine just sit and watch while she worked her magic with breakfast. As Megan fried bacon and made the pancakes, Christine told her about the events of the night before as she unsuccessfully tried to be strong and hold back the tears. Megan was shocked on more than one occasion and almost burned the bacon twice, so engrossed was she in hearing of Erik's outburst. When she got to the part about becoming hysterical, Megan went over and hugged her again, in total understanding of the anguish she had experienced. She couldn't help but wonder how she would react if Amir ever left her.

When Megan had finished the pancakes, she quickly made scrambled eggs for both of them and then brought their plates to the table. Christine poured syrup over her pancakes and took a bite. They were delicious. Having a wonderful breakfast with her best friend was like a balm to Christine's broken heart. She felt the only other people who might have been able to help at a moment like this would have been her parents.

Megan had planned a day of activities to help keep her occupied and her mind from dwelling on her loss, but the matter took care of itself when Christine invited her to watch a scary movie with her after breakfast as she laid down on the bed, and before long, Christine was sound asleep. Megan looked upon her affectionately and retrieved a warm throw to cover her with. She supposed it was natural for the body to seek rest after undergoing an emotional shock to the system. She stroked her hair softly and said a prayer for her before leaving the bedroom to go clean up the kitchen.

* * *

Amir helped Erik put on a robe and brought him to the kitchen so he could fix him a filling breakfast of oatmeal, a small glass of orange juice, and some sliced melon. Erik ate slowly, fighting to keep his eyes open. He did feel better after he'd eaten, but the only way to purge his body of the residual effects of the morphine was to sleep it off, so after he'd eaten, Erik returned to bed as Amir cleared and rinsed the dishes. 

When he returned to sit in the living room, he wondered if Megan had called Christine, so he took out his cell phone and called her. She picked it up on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, cherie, it's me."

Megan was relieved to hear his voice. "Good morning, baby. Did you get a chance to see Erik?"

"Yes, I'm at his apartment now, but I really didn't get a chance to talk to him yet. He just went back to bed. How's Christine?"

"She's asleep, too. I made her some breakfast and she told me what happened."

"What did happen?" Hopefully now he'd get some answers.

"She said that Erik was very late getting home, but when he finally did, he started accusing her of doing some horribly kinky things with Roan, and then he broke up with her."

Amir was stunned. Erik hadn't volunteered any information while he was awake, and he hadn't wanted to question him while he was still under the effects of the morphine, but he'd have to get to the bottom of this when he awoke. "He actually broke up with her?" It seemed incredible.

"Yes, he told her to go back to Roan and then he locked himself in the studio and Christine freaked out."

Amir remembered the locked studio door and the marks upon it. He wasn't going to tell Megan about the morphine because it wasn't something he felt Christine had to know.

"Did he say where he got this information?"

"From Roan, but I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Because he's still alive."

Amir smiled. He loved Megan's in-your-face common sense. "I'm going to spend the day with him, and probably tonight, too. Give me a call if you find out anything more."

"Okay, babe, bye."

He pocketed his phone after he hung up and went back to the bedroom to check on Erik, who was still asleep and looked like he would be for hours. He was glad Megan would be with Christine today, because if Erik had truly left her, she would need a strong shoulder to cry on. He felt a quiet pride in the fact that Megan was so capable. Despite her playful personality, in the time he'd come to know her, he'd learned that she was actually quite intelligent and a deep thinker, not normally given to knee jerk reactions or emotionalism like most of the women he'd known, and he'd come to respect and consider her an equal. She was even beautiful, and being a ballet dancer, had a dancer's body, which even now was causing him to react just thinking about it.

New Year's Eve would be on Saturday and he had made plans on how they would spend it together. They'd spent their first Christmas together and had had a wonderful day and night, and he wanted their first New Years to be memorable as well. A smile came to his lips just thinking about what he had planned…

Since Erik would be asleep for some time, Amir decided to go downstairs and do some work. He would come back in a few hours, and perhaps by then Erik would be coherent again. Given the situation with Christine, he thought that Erik might appreciate some diversion tonight.

_

* * *

Thursday night _

Christine awoke around 4:00, surprised that she'd slept so long, but felt refreshed. She heard the TV in the living room, and when she went out to check, saw that Megan was curled up on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn watching a movie.

"Hi, I didn't think I'd sleep so long," Christine murmured apologetically.

"That's okay, I made you some vegetable soup in case you'd be hungry when you got up. Would you like some now?" Megan asked with a gentle smile.

Christine smiled back. "Yes, thank you. You take such good care of me, Megan."

"What are friends for?" she replied cheerfully.

Megan prepared a bowl of soup and placed it before her on the table and mentioned, "And I'm taking you out to dinner tonight, too. Nothing fancy, but I thought it might be good to get out since we've been in the house all day."

Christine looked up. "Really? Where to?"

"Just up the street to Burrito Express. Their food's good and it's close."

Christine smiled gratefully at her best friend.

* * *

It was almost 8:00 when Erik awoke, uncertain whether it was a.m., p.m., or even what day it was. 

"Welcome back to the land of the living, young one," came a voice to his left.

When he turned toward the voice, he saw Amir sitting comfortably in a chair watching him.

"How long have you been sitting there?" Erik asked groggily.

"Long enough. We're going out tonight."

"We are?"

"Yes, and we're going to have a good time. Why don't you take a shower and then you can get dressed."

Erik noticed then that Amir was dressed in a very handsomely tailored black suit with a white dress shirt and silver-gray tie.

"Where are we going?" He wasn't sure he was up for this.

"Paladin's."

* * *

"Megan, I don't know if I'm really up for this," Christine countered as they walked up the street. Her eyes were still somewhat red and puffy for she'd never totally stopped crying off and on throughout the day. It didn't take much for the floodgates to open when she'd hear a particular song or see a particular movie on TV, and walking through her apartment was a minefield of memories as a result of the photographs and knick-knacks gracing her walls and tables. 

"Christine, it's kind of dark in their dining room so you don't have to worry about how you look, and besides, Thursdays are always slow." Megan had actually never eaten in at Burrito Express, but that pretty much described most of the Mexican restaurants in town, so she felt she was safe.

It was around 8:00 when they walked through the door at Burrito Express, and as Megan predicted, it wasn't crowded for a Thursday night. Alex greeted them as they walked in and showed them to a very nice booth. Megan thought he looked so much handsomer up close than the one time she'd seen him in passing at the bank.

Christine knew they'd never met and so made the introductions. Alex was extremely affable and seemed to smile a lot at Megan. If she didn't know he was gay, Christine would have thought he found Megan rather attractive.

He left them a couple of menus and said he would be back shortly to take their orders.

Megan shook her head as she watched him walk away. "He should be bronzed," she smiled wistfully.

This simple comment caused a chain reaction in Christine's mind as she recalled thinking the same thing the first time she'd seen Erik naked. He was physical perfection itself…. Her eyes watered and overflowed and her heart again filled with pain, which it usually did now days except when she'd experience some respite when she slept. _How long will I feel this way? It'll probably be for a very long time…_

When Alex returned, he brought them two large strawberry margaritas along with a basket of corn chips and salsa. "We didn't order these," Megan said, although she thought they looked wonderful.

"They're on the house," he grinned. "What would you ladies like tonight?"

Christine ordered her favorite Mexican dinner of chile verde and Megan ordered the chile rellenos, and as always, their dinner was sumptuous and enjoyable.

"Megan, thank you so much for bringing me here tonight. I'm really enjoying this," Christine smiled over the table.

"It's nothing," she replied, "and besides, it was worth it to finally meet Alex."

Their plates were cleared away when they'd finished and Alex brought them each a slice of chocolate cake ala mode. "On the house, ladies," he smiled. "Would you mind if I joined you?"

Christine was surprised by this, but she moved over and made room for him to sit next to her.

He looked at her as he scooted into the booth, a look of concern etched on his handsome face. "Christine, I know it's probably none of my business, but I noticed you seemed kind of upset tonight. You know how we feel about you, and I just wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help?"

Her feelings already on her sleeve, Alex's kindness was just too much and Christine had to stop eating as she started to cry, and she couldn't speak.

Alex looked helplessly over at Megan, who explained, "Erik broke up with her."

"Oh, Christine, I'm so sorry," he sympathized sincerely. "You want me to go and kick his ass for you?"

Christine stopped crying momentarily as she and Megan stared at him, and then started laughing.

Alex still looked serious. "No, I mean it. I'm a lawyer, I can have him arrested for not giving you at least two weeks notice that he was going to call it quits."

Christine was grinning now and leaned over to give Alex a hug for trying to cheer her up, and Megan was impressed by his show of practical sympathy. She smiled at him as he hugged Christine back, and he gave her a seductive wink, which she wondered about but liked very much.

Alex stayed at their table for the rest of the evening since no other customers had come in and they laughed and talked until closing at 11:00. As Megan was about to pay their bill at the counter, Alex smiled, "It's on the house, ladies, and I've closed the cash register, so it's no use trying to argue."

When they got back home, Christine was smiling as they got ready for bed. "Megan, thanks again for taking me to Burrito Express. I really needed that."

"Any time," she smiled. "Pleasant dreams."

"Goodnight, sis."

* * *

The streets weren't very busy tonight as Amir drove them to Paladin's, but that was usually the case the week between Christmas and New Years. He hoped he'd be able to get some answers before the night was out for he still hadn't heard from Erik as to what was going on. He decided on the direct approach. 

"Erik, tell me what's happening."

He closed his eyes and sighed. The pain in his heart was almost overwhelming, but not just in his heart, but his entire body. "It's over, she's gone," he whispered.

"What happened?"

"She was with that boy."

"When?"

"When she was supposed to be with me."

"How do you know?"

"I know."

"Did you talk with her?"

"She denied it of course," he said bitterly.

"How can you be so sure?" Amir couldn't imagine Christine cheating on Erik.

"He knew things about her that he couldn't have known any other way."

Amir considered this. "You didn't talk to him, so how can you be sure?"

"I'm sure."

Amir knew that Erik wouldn't say anything more on the matter and so decided to change gears. "What will you do now, my friend?"

Erik looked away out the window. "Try to forget her."

They pulled into the underground parking garage for the hotel and then walked over to the elevators that took them four levels below the surface. As they descended the four floors, the elevator let them out facing the opulent restaurant known as Paladin's. Amir spoke to the hostess who led them to a table at the far end of the room, and as they followed her through the restaurant, many eyes followed these two men who looked impossibly handsome. Erik had chosen to wear a well-designed black suit and black dress shirt, and an elegant cream-colored silk tie.

He was glad that they were seated in a far corner of the restaurant for it gave them a view of the entire room. Their hostess took their drink orders and a waiter arrived a few minutes later to take their dinner order, Erik selecting the quail flambe and Amir opting for pheasant in white wine.

As they sat, lost in their own thoughts, Amir noticed that Erik had picked up his dinner knife and was quietly fingering it as he looked over at the small dance floor. There were about six couples slow dancing and he seemed to be watching them closely. Amir wondered what Erik was thinking as he focused on the knife in his hands. Although he seemed the picture of calm, he knew that Erik was hurting terribly and that his anger simmered just below the surface.

Erik had always considered himself a very good judge of character, noticing traits and characteristics often lost on others, but which eventually would come to light, even years after first notice, and that was what he was doing now. As he looked at each couple in turn, he could see the micro-signals being sent unknowingly to anyone patient enough to look for them. Their body language told volumes, and to him was practically an open book.

One couple who were clinging onto one another very closely seemed to be very much in love, but what Erik saw was desperation, the woman for one reason, and the man for another. The woman wanted to hang onto the man for some emotional reason, not necessarily love, security perhaps, but the man couldn't wait to get rid of her. Another couple were dancing casually, not speaking, but dancing well together. They should be apart, he thought. In another few months, he was sure they would be. Perhaps they don't know it yet, but surely they were aware there were problems.

Another dancing couple he observed particularly captured his interest. He didn't think they were married because he saw no wedding rings, but the man was holding the woman confidently, and she seemed relaxed enough in his embrace as they danced slowly. The man seemed lost in the music as they danced to it, but the woman didn't seem focused on anything at all, a neutral expression on her face. _The man is abusive, not physically perhaps, but verbally and emotionally _he thought. _I know it. She's tired of it and wants to get away, but he won't let her go, and he's not even faithful to her. She'd be so much better off without him. _

"It's not too busy tonight," Amir said quietly. "Everyone seems to wait for the weekends. What's on your mind, Erik?"

Erik looked over at him briefly before turning away to look at the couples again. "So many unhappy people…just looking for happiness. I want to be happy again…and I will be."

Amir studied him for a moment. He knew the effects of the morphine had more or less faded by this time and that Erik's heart was broken and hurting and that he was having to deal with it now. He would keep an eye on his friend and make sure he was all right. "Will you move on now?" he asked.

Erik smiled. "Of course," as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "It won't be hard to do. I'll even start tonight."

Their food was brought to them at this time and they spread their napkins on their laps as they began dining. Erik's quail was placed before him and lit, the blue flames making for a beautiful presentation and attracting the eyes of a number of nearby diners. They enjoyed their meal very much, and although Erik didn't eat very much, he was glad that Amir had suggested Paladin's. When they finished eating, they sat for awhile enjoying an after dinner coffee and spoke quietly. Erik seemed tranquil and relaxed from the fine meal and the ambiance, yet Amir felt as though he were watching a calm before the storm.

When they finally finished their coffee and had paid, they went to the elevator and descended one more floor down to the Paladin Club. As they exited the elevator, the music was loud and hypnotic, and Erik was glad, for it made other thoughts near impossible. They were led to a comfortable booth close to the bar by a hostess and they ordered a couple of drinks as they watched the dancers on the floor. Erik continued his game of reading people as he watched them on and off the dance floor.

They watched from their booth for several minutes when Erik calmly stood and approached a woman sitting at the bar. She was very beautiful, with short dark red hair and dressed in a short black halter dress that was quite attractive. He spoke to her, and Amir saw that she seemed mesmerized by him. Erik extended his hand and she placed her perfectly manicured hand in his. The music was hypnotic as the techno beat continued. He led her into the crowd on the dance floor and began to dance with her very seductively. In a matter of minutes, she found herself surprised by her own reaction to his dancing. It wasn't as though she'd never been turned on by a man's gyrating form before, but he was actually causing her to respond in a way that was overriding common sense very quickly, and the booming and sensual techno music wasn't helping. As they danced, he moved ever closer to her until his crotch was in contact with hers so that she could feel his cock grinding against her, and it seemed they were dry humping to the beating of the rhythm. Numerous red flags were thrown out by her conscience to stop this madness and to get away from this man immediately, yet her body didn't want to, it wanted to feel him rubbing up against her and making her feel wanton, ready to throw it all away just so she could feel him even more. When he finally placed his hands on her torso and slowly began to feel her body, running his hands over her breasts and firmly grasping her buttocks, any and all semblance of self-control had fled, and all she knew was that she had to have him within her. So entrapped was she by his seamless seduction that she didn't even notice when he led her off the dance floor that he nodded slightly to Amir, signaling to him that he would return shortly.

Amir had seen Erik dancing with the woman on the crowded dance floor and knew immediately where this was going. It was actually rather surprising to him that Erik hadn't done this before, but then he'd never known Erik to indulge his baser instincts as he knew most men did. Before Megan, even he wouldn't deny himself the pleasure of a woman's body whenever he felt the need for it, but Erik was of a different sort. Not that he perhaps didn't masturbate when the need arose, but he seemed totally consumed by his music…and perhaps much of his material was borne from his frustration. It was during his obsession with Christine after all when he'd composed the greatest piece of music in modern musical history. That Erik was indulging himself now, however, were for reasons that were painfully obvious to Amir...

He wondered how long it would take before Erik finished with this woman.

* * *

The moment the elevator doors closed, Erik descended upon her, and she welcomed his advances as willingly as he gave it. He kissed her lips firmly, parting them and thrusting his tongue into her mouth, tasting her and feeling her enthusiasm keenly. He ran kisses down her neck and pinched her nipple through the fabric of her dress, causing her to moan softly. When the elevator signaled that they'd reached the surface, he grasped her hand and pulled her with him out the door and toward the parking garage. 

"What is your name, my dear?" he asked softly as they walked quickly amongst the other cars.

"N-Nora," she replied breathlessly. "And what is your name?"

Erik glanced at her briefly and smiled as he signaled his car to unlock the doors. "You may call me Erik."

"Why do you wear that mask?"

Erik sighed. "It allows me to be whomever I choose to be, darling. Come, live the fantasy with me."

The car signaled from his right and he saw it two aisles over. When they reached it, he opened the back door and held it open for her as she stepped in. She noticed that the back windows were darkly tinted and was amazed by the spaciousness of the back seat, vaguely realizing that she'd never before been in a car so luxurious. As soon as Erik closed the door, he turned to her and claimed her lips in a burning kiss as he pushed her down onto the back seat. She moaned automatically from the fierceness of his kiss and he quickly undid the buttons of her halter neckline and brought it down, freeing her breasts for his eager hands and lips to have their way.

" Vous êtes si beau, vous bruit sans valeur," he murmured huskily. _(You are so beautiful, you worthless tramp.)_

"Oh, I just love French," Nora murmured, "it's so beautiful."

_"You_ are beautiful," Erik murmured as he nuzzled her behind her ear. " J'avais attendu toute la nuit juste au va te faire foutre, vous petite chienne dégoûtante." _(I've been waiting all night just to fuck you, you filthy little bitch.)_

He reached under her dress and moved aside her thong to feel her wetness, and she shuddered when he dipped his fingers into her well to touch her intimately. He felt her clit and rubbed it gently as she moaned, and then he freed his cock from the confines of his trousers. He reached up and removed something from an inside pocket, ripping open the wrapper with his teeth, then discretely slipping on the contents. He mounted her, firmly rubbing his cock along her wetness until he plunged into her, causing her to shudder involuntarily and cry out in surprise. She wrapped her legs around him as he began pumping rhythmically into her, and he closed his eyes, thinking of how wonderful she felt…so silken. He wished he could savor this feeling all night long…

As he pumped into her harder and faster, Nora's breathing quickened and she moaned rapturously, which only heightened his anticipation. "Vous vous sentez si bon... vous faites exactement pour ce que vous avez été signifié, vous foutue putain. _(You feel so good…you're doing exactly what you're meant to do, you fucking whore.)_

He could feel the familiar intense pleasure building gradually along his shaft as he paced his thrusts, and he involuntarily began to recall…he was remembering what it was like with Christine…making love to her, tasting her, touching every part of her….

He began pounding into her harder as he felt the pleasure overtake his senses, and he exploded in blinding orgasm as Nora held him, her cries ringing true in his ears until he harshly ground out his last: _"Christine…"_

* * *

When he was finished, he supported his weight on his elbows for awhile as he caught his breath. 

"We're not done yet, are we?" she asked softly.

Erik opened his eyes as he moved off of her and whispered, "Yes, we are."

She suddenly looked hurt, angry, and disappointed, all in a fraction of a second. "But _I'm_ not done," she whispered seductively.

Erik regarded her silently. He really didn't give a damn how she felt. "I'm sorry, I guess I just got a little carried away. Here, take it. I'm really sorry." He'd reached into his pocket and retrieved some money and now held it out to her.

She looked at it, unbelieving. _He's paying me off like some fucking prostitute! After he got his own rocks off! _She slowly reached out and took it from his outstretched hand and counted it. _$500! _She weighed her options. She could throw it back in his face for thinking she was no better than a common street whore, or...she could take it. _I could really use $500…_

She looked at him and saw that he was still sitting back against the seat, watching the play of emotions across her face. This was obviously not a big deal to him. _All right, I'll take the money, and I'll never see him again…_

She folded the money in the palm of her hand and gently opened the car door and stepped out. He wasn't following her. She closed the door and walked back to Paladin's, $500 richer.

* * *

When Erik went back to their booth, he saw that Amir was sharing a drink with a very beautiful woman that he'd seen dancing earlier, and it looked like they were having a pleasant conversation. When she saw him approach, she took the opportunity to take her leave and melted back into the crowd. 

As Erik sat back in the booth, Amir noticed a change in his demeanor. "Have a good time?"

Erik shrugged and ordered a drink as a waiter approached their table. "It's all relative, I suppose," he said noncommittally. But in truth, he felt empty. After Nora had left the car, he'd sat there awhile thinking about what he'd done. He'd gotten what he'd wanted from her, but it meant nothing, it was just a physical release. As he fucked her, he had thought about Christine, how intense their lovemaking used to be, how rich and full…. He could never have imagined then ever making love to another woman, but he just had. But no, he didn't make love to her, he'd just fucked her…and that was totally different.

He closed his eyes momentarily and could still feel the crushing pain in his heart, and vaguely wished that he could cut it out…or take more morphine to help him over this…

Amir was watching him, but didn't say anything. He could tell that Erik was in pain, but there was nothing he could do. It would just take time…maybe.


	38. The Day Before

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: In reviewing the direction and pace of The Phil, I realized I made a mistake in the last chapter and so have rewritten a portion of it. My sincere thanks to my editors and reviewers who brought this to my attention.

Chapter 38

The Day Before

_Friday_

Christine was surprised by how she felt this morning. Her heart still felt heavy to be sure, but not as bad as it had been yesterday, and she felt it had to have been because of Megan and dinner at Burrito Express last night. She had friends, and she was very grateful for them.

As she got up, she thought about what she'd do today. Megan was still asleep, so she decided to make breakfast for her for a change. She got up and took a quick shower before heading off to the kitchen.

When Megan awoke at around 9:00, it was to the heavenly aroma of coffee and bacon. She loved having breakfast at Christine's. She stretched and smiled, her thoughts then going to Amir. She wasn't sure if she'd see him today, but knew that he'd made special plans for New Years Eve tomorrow night, so she was anxiously anticipating his surprise.

She got up and tied on a robe and walked into the kitchen. Christine had made bacon, hash browns and scrambled eggs and coffee, and Megan's mouth was watering even before she'd sat down. "Good morning," she said sleepily as she tried to stifle a yawn. "How are you feeling today?"

Christine turned around and set a plate of brown-and-serve rolls on the table. "Better than yesterday, thanks to you," she smiled. "What were your plans for today?"

"Well, if you don't mind, I thought I'd hang around here for another day to make sure you're all right and don't decide to do anything rash like slit your throat or jump off the Golden Gate Bridge," she teased as she filled her plate with the eggs and hash browns.

"You don't have to worry about that, my dear, because if I did that, I'd never be able to become an opera singer, and I promised my parents." She set out a couple glasses of juice before sitting down and fixing her own plate.

"I know, but you know how high strung we performers are supposed to be," she said as she gestured with her bacon. "Oh, and I wanted to go to Gaston's for dinner tomorrow night. It's New Year's!"

"But I thought you and Amir had plans," she said, although she would love to go to Gaston's for New Year's Eve.

Megan reached for another slice of bacon. "We do, but it won't be till later in the evening, so we'll have time. Besides, I didn't want you to be alone on New Year's."

"Thanks," she smiled appreciatively, even as she wondered what Erik would be doing then.

After breakfast, while Megan hopped in the shower, Christine rinsed the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. As she looked around the apartment, it seemed that everything reminded her of Erik. If she left everything as it was, she could see her apartment becoming a shrine to their failed relationship, so she began going through each room and gathering everything that had come out of her two months with Erik…the two most wonderful months of her life.

By the time Megan got out of the shower and came into the living room, there was a noticeable difference. "Christine…?"

Not seeing her in the living room, she went into the bedroom where she found Christine sitting on the floor before a generous stack of items that she was sure had to do with Erik. Christine was crying and her shoulders shook. Megan went over to her and placed her arms around her.

"Honey, it's for the best. The sooner you get on with your life, the better it'll be."

_"But I can't!"_ she cried. "He was _everything_ to me, how can I ever get past this? I just can't! _I want to die!_" Christine's body shook as she was racked with uncontrolled sobs, and Megan just held her, offering what comfort she could.

"Shhh…I know. It might take a long time, but eventually, it'll be just a memory. I'm going to get dressed and we're going to go out. This is going to be a good day, okay? I promise." Megan was glad she'd volunteered to stay with her for another day. It looked like Christine needed it.

* * *

A couple sleek Ducatis were hurtling down the coast toward Monterey. Traffic was light and the Pacific Ocean was a beautiful clear blue, but the mood of one of the cyclists was decidedly somber as he and his companion neared their destination: the Del Monte Forest section of the Monterey Peninsula Raceway. Erik hadn't wanted to stay in town because everything and every place reminded him of Christine. Although he'd spent the morning boxing away pictures and reminders of their time together, she seemed to have left an indelible imprint on the very air that was in his apartment. She was everywhere…like an unseen spirit. He had to get away, and when he'd checked with Amir to see if he needed to take care of anything at the Phil before leaving, was surprised when Amir had volunteered to come along.

The two-hour drive south was a relaxing one as they sped down the highway over the roar of their engines, and Erik was glad that the day was clear for once in contrast to the usual Bay area overcast. The pale sun created sparkling reflections on the occasional wave, and he could see surfers in the water with their black wetsuits and the colorful sails of the kite surfers. He could smell the saltwater on the breeze, and he was at peace.

They rode side by side and Amir would occasionally glance over at him. He could only see Erik's eyes through his helmet, but he hoped that he felt better today. It had been out of character for Erik to pick up that woman at Paladin's last night, but given the circumstances, he supposed he couldn't blame him. He'd tried to find out if she had been enjoyable for him, but his silence had told him what he needed to know. He wished there was some comfort he could give, something that would bring his friend out of this darkness that now consumed him, but in lieu of that, he would offer his friendship and unconditional support.

There were times now when Erik would feel pain in certain parts of his body for no apparent reason. He'd never had phantom pains before, but it had started when Christine left. He'd feel it most frequently in the area of his heart, naturally, but then he'd also feel it in his hands, his stomach, his back, or his legs. It was as though she had been an integral part of him, and his body was reacting to his purging of her. _There's nothing I can do…she wants Roan._ _Oh Christine, I wish I could just snatch you away for one day to convince you that here is where you belong, not with that boy. You belong with me, Christine, forever…_

When they arrived at the raceway, they signed in to be put on the list of riders to be given an opportunity to ride the course that spanned the perimeter of the forest. At one time, the forest raceway was the sole domain of race cars, but since the new raceway was built, only motorcycles now sped through the forest track.

After awhile, their names were called and they mounted their bikes and approached the starting gate. As the warning lights signaled to go, they sped off at high speed together, but Erik soon pulled out ahead. They pushed the limits of speed along the straight-aways and curves, but Amir soon realized that Erik was racing at speeds that would be considered unsafe by any standard. He was barely able to keep up without risking a spinout, which would have been bad enough on any track, but here in the woods, was decidedly dangerous, and possibly deadly depending on what part of the course one crashed in.

_What are you doing, Erik? You know you can't keep this up! _he thought anxiously..

Erik's reflexes were quick and sure. Although he and Amir were equals in riding ability, he always enjoyed pushing the envelope, forcing himself to excel at everything he attempted, and there was nothing he couldn't conquer once he decided to master it.

_Like Christine and her singing _he thought_. Her voice is unparalleled, yet she won't quit until it's perfect. _As he thought about her his heart clenched again, and his eyes began to fill. As he sped down the straightaway, he thought about her in her apartment, making dinner for Roan, and then having a movie night with him. He imagined the boy kissing her on the couch and then beginning to touch her…. His heart ached even more at this thought. _She'll go to the boy's apartment, and then he'll take her, if he hasn't already. It would be so much easier if I could just die_ he thought wretchedly. Erik tried to control himself and willed himself not to cry, but his eyes filled regardless and blurred his vision.

He approached one of the sharp curves and didn't ease up on the throttle as he should have, so lost was he in his sorrow, and as he approached it, miscalculated as he attempted to go into it via a controlled skid. He realized what was happening even before it did, his last thoughts before he left the bike being…_Oh shit._

Amir wasn't far behind when he saw the bike go into the skid and Erik be thrown from it, skidding and rolling on the asphalt track until he landed on the side of the road by the trees. He saw him come to rest finally, face down in the dirt, unmoving.

* * *

He felt so relaxed and peaceful. He could feel the fresh air on his face, and there was also a slight breeze. He slowly opened his eyes and could see sunlight shining through the branches. He would have liked to enjoy this feeling some more.

"Erik! Erik, can you hear me?"

Amir's face came into focus above him, and he could feel his hand on his chest. "Yes, I can hear you," he murmured. "What happened?"

"You fell off your bike. How do you feel?"

Erik became more aware of his surroundings and then began to move his limbs slowly. He didn't believe anything was broken, so he carefully tried to stand. He stood unsteadily and looked over to see his bike on its side off the track. It wasn't damaged, but he'd have to take it in to get cleaned and the scratches repaired. He'd worn his protective riding armor since they'd planned on coming to the track, and it had saved him from more serious injury. He remembered what he'd been thinking before he went into the skid and knew how stupid that was. He should have been concentrating and he wasn't…he deserved to crash. "I'm fine. Let's just go back home."

* * *

When they returned to the Phil, they both showered in turn and changed. Amir had a strong suspicion as to what caused Erik's crash earlier and was concerned for him. Although he was aware of Erik's desire to excel by going to extremes at times, it had been out of character for him to push the boundaries to the point of taking unnecessary and life-threatening risks, and it seemed to Amir that he was beginning to do a number of things that were out of character.

Later that evening, Amir took it upon himself to prepare a simple dinner for them both although it was Erik's apartment, and afterwards suggested a game of chess. He had prepared margaritas and now poured some into frosted margarita glasses as Erik set up the chess pieces.

"How do you feel, mon ami?" Amir asked as he placed the margarita glasses on two napkins and took a seat across from him.

"I'm fine, still in one piece," he smirked.

"Do you remember what was on your mind before you crashed?" Amir asked carefully as he moved a chess piece.

Erik took a sip of his margarita. "Tia Rita's again. I like this," he said as he moved his chess piece.

"Erik?" Amir was getting a feeling as to what kind of night this was going to be.

"Hm?"

Amir sighed. "How was your encounter with the redhead last night?"

"It was adequate," Erik replied as he took another sip. "She was compensated."

"I see. Now what?"

"I was thinking about asking Joanna out."

Amir looked up at him. "You're kidding." He made a move with his knight that he immediately regretted.

"I have no desire to pick up any more strangers, old man. And tumbling in the back seat really isn't my style."

"It's always dangerous dating someone you work with, especially when you're the boss, but you already know that, don't you?" Amir ventured.

Erik was getting angry. It was all he could do just to get through the darkness which made up his days, yet Amir was insisting on propriety. "What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing, just that I don't think it's a good idea."

"What would you have me do then, go to a bar and pick up somebody every time I desire some company?" he asked, annoyed. "This is more practical."

Amir tried to reason with him. "You know you would never have agreed to something like this a month ago."

"Things change," he said as he looked at him squarely. "I've never been in this position before."

"I've never told you what to do, Erik, but I'm telling you this for your own good: don't do it. It won't work for either of you, and you'll only end up hurting her, she's innocent."

Erik snorted and took a sip of his margarita. "She's not as innocent as you think, Amir. No, you've never told me what to do before, but now you thought you'd start, and as always, your timing is impeccable. Besides, how do you know I'll end up hurting her? Have you added clairvoyance to your list of abilities?"

This was getting out of hand. "Erik, please listen to reason. You have a history with her, and people talk, there have been rumors."

"What rumors?" Erik stood, shoving the chair away roughly and walking away from the table.

"That you've kissed her, even before the Christmas Gala, and that she's given you a blow job. Can you deny this?"

Erik was furious, but spoke with barely controlled anger as he faced his friend. "What else do you know about my life, old man? Would you tell me now who I can sleep with? Tell me, what am I supposed to do?"

Amir was trying his best to contain the situation. "Erik, all I'm asking is to not go out with Joanna, because it can't go anywhere…it can't."

Erik was astounded at the gall of his friend and raised his hands as he asked, "And why can't it, oh wise one?"

"Because you're still in love with Christine."

That was it, and he snapped. "_SHE BETRAYED ME!" _he screamed._ "She's dead to me now! She means nothing to me!" _

Amir stood and approached him, hoping to calm him down. "Erik, please…"

_"NO!" _Erik walked over to the large window and put his hands over his face. _"I gave her everything I had…everything I am…and it wasn't enough…it just wasn't enough…" _

"Erik…"

_"NO!" _He walked quickly to his bedroom and slammed the door.

Amir looked after him and wondered just how his friend would get by in the weeks and months to come. He knew that Christine had been his world and that he'd given her everything he had to give, yet she had betrayed him. Still…he couldn't believe it. _Something_ didn't quite ring true to him.

* * *

After Christine and Megan had gone to bed, Christine woke up later around 3:00 in the morning and decided to make herself some hot cocoa before returning to bed. She'd had a nightmare she couldn't remember, but the uneasiness she felt in its wake convinced her that that was what had awakened her. Pinecone walked over and kept her company as the water heated.

"Hi, baby. You couldn't sleep either, hm?" Christine said softly as she picked her up. She scratched her behind her ear as Pinecone began to purr contentedly, and she smiled as she remembered how Erik used to make her talk. "I wish you could speak to me now," she whispered as she hugged her and rubbed her face in her fur.

When the tea kettle began to whistle, she proceeded to make herself a mug of hot chocolate and sat quietly at the kitchen table just thinking of what the new year would bring. She'd be going back to school Monday after a two-week vacation, and at least she wouldn't have to worry about going back to work. This last year had been the most eventful of her life, but now that that chapter was closed, she would wait to see what the new year would bring.

As she sipped her cocoa, she imagined that Roan would become a part of her life now that Erik was out of it, and she wondered what that would be like. She still didn't really know too much about him, but then realized that she actually knew more about him than she ever did about Erik. There had been so much that she had wanted to ask him, but had never had the chance to, and now it was too late. She would never know about what he did when he lived in the middle east, and what it was like when he lived in Italy while he attended graduate school. And she'd wanted to know about how he became resident composer at the Phil. But now she'd never know. She imagined that he'd eventually find someone else to be with in his beautiful penthouse apartment, someone else to shower with gifts and wonderful experiences …. She closed her eyes at this thought, it was just too painful to even imagine right now. And even as she did this, she noticed the pain in her heart again, just when she thought she'd learned to control it.

_He said that I was the first one he'd ever brought up to his apartment. I always found that so hard to believe. He's just too handsome and wonderful for that. I can't imagine him being alone for long._

The thought of him with someone else was the most painful. To think of him doing with someone else what they used to do together was too much. And again, one thought above all else came back to her…_why did he leave? Why did he accuse me of those things? Why did he tell me to go back to Roan? _None of this made any sense…

How she wished they could just have one day to talk…to maybe take a walk along the beach as they talked about everything. Just one day…

She finished her hot cocoa and was again feeling sufficiently drowsy to go back to bed, so after rinsing out her mug, she climbed into bed and soon fell into a deep sleep.

_

* * *

When she slowly awakened, she felt the warm breeze wash over her face and bare arms, and she could hear waves softly crashing in the distance as gulls cried overhead. And she could smell the saltwater…_

_She opened her eyes and Erik was holding her in his arms. They were lying in a hammock together and they were back on the island! When Christine realized that she was back with Erik and that he was holding her, she buried her face in his chest and placed her arms around him as she began to cry._

_"What's the matter, my love? Did you have a bad dream?" he asked softly._

_He was back! Dear god in heaven, they were together again! "Yes, I dreamt that we'd had a fight and you told me to go back to Roan," she said tearfully. She held onto him as though she were afraid he would disappear._

_"I would _never_ tell you to go away, my love. Never. Do you understand me?" he asked in mock sternness. "You are my life, cherie, I never want to be apart from you." And as though to make his point more certain, he brought his hand under her shirt and placed his hand over her breast possessively, squeezing it and causing her to feel the sensation down her body and between her legs. _

_"I know, it was just a bad dream," she murmured, mollified. "It had just seemed so real. I…I didn't want to live without you."_

_Erik held her more firmly. "And I cannot live without you, my love, nor would I ever want to. I want you with me forever." He kissed her tenderly and she felt his tongue touch hers gently as he lovingly kneaded her breast. _

_Christine closed her eyes to savor the feel of him enjoying her body…she'd thought she'd never feel this way again. _

_"I love you, Christine." He looked at her deeply and she saw all the love in the world in his eyes, and her tears fell as she saw the absolute truth in his words. "I couldn't live without you." _

_She was wearing a short skirt, and he brought his hand under it now and pulled down her panties. He felt her wetness and gently inserted his finger into her as she closed her eyes to feel this wonderful sensation of having him touch her again. She began to writhe and moan softly when he rubbed her clit silkily with her juices, and he shifted himself so that he now lay above her. She felt him take his cock out of his shorts and place it at her entrance. She was moving with him now as his cock moved along with her, and suddenly, she felt him thrust it into her, and she shuddered involuntarily at this most welcome intrusion. He was back…he was really back…_

_She moved with him as though they were one, and she could hear his breathing as he pumped into her rhythmically. She was moving with him, and they moved as one. She didn't want to be with anyone else for as long as she lived. She would be his for the rest of her life._

_She could feel herself becoming lost in the building sensations as he pumped harder and faster, her own breathing becoming ragged gasps until they both exploded in simultaneous ecstasy. It seemed to go on forever and Christine could sense silent fireworks exploding above them as their orgasm continued…_

_It was the longest, most exquisite orgasm she'd ever experienced, and as it began to slow, Erik placed a gentle kiss on her temple as he pulled out of her and lay beside her again, somewhat breathless. "Thank you, mon amour, that was incredible," he whispered. "Christine, stay with me forever."_

_"I already told you I would, my love, forever." Christine was so happy, and grateful for this miracle that brought them together again. She had thought it was truly over._

_He looked into her eyes then. "No, that's not what I meant, my love. Marry me."_

_Christine looked at him, shocked, and he repeated himself to make sure she knew he was serious. "Marry me, Christine, please. I promise I will love you for the rest of my life." _

_When realization dawned that this was real, the tears began immediately as Christine buried her face against him and cried, "Oh Erik! Yes! YES! I'll marry you!" _

_He held her in the most loving embrace in the hammock and knew there was one more thing to be done. He would take care of it now. "Christine…?"_

_"Yes?" she asked softly. He hesitated for a moment, as though this were a momentous undertaking, and Christine looked up at him. "What is it, my love?"_

_"I believe the time has come for you to see me as I truly am, that is, if you still wish to." _

_Christine was stunned. He was going to remove his mask! "Yes, of course I do. I told you, it doesn't matter what you look like, I will always love you."_

_"All right." He sat up on the hammock on one end as she sat on the other. He grasped the mask along the edge and slowly moved it off his face, and then he lowered it as he kept his eyes on her, to catch any hint of change in her expression._

_When she saw it, she thought she was going to faint. She was in shock. "What…what is this?" she whispered. _

_"It's me, Christine, this is who I am. I'm the one who loves you."_

_Christine was starting to hyperventilate. "No, no…it can't be…." She started to move off the hammock._

_"Christine, please…." He tried to reach out to her, but she backed away as though she would be burned._

_"No, it's not possible! Please put the mask back on…PUT IT BACK ON!" she screamed as she backed away from the hammock. _

_"No, Christine. You said you would love me no matter what was behind the mask. This is who I am, and I've always loved you. I want to marry you."_

_She stared, rooted to the spot in stunned silence as he approached her with his hand outstretched, entreating. When he reached her, she started to sway, and then she fainted, and he caught her just before she hit the ground. It was Roan. _

* * *

They'd just come in from a wonderful Italian dinner and were playfully kissing and nipping at each other in the elevator as they made their way to his apartment. When the elevator door opened, he grabbed her hand and led her to his door as he fumbled for the keys, finally finding it and getting the door opened as she giggled from the effects of the wine.

When they got through the door and shut it, he pushed her up against the door and again began kissing her feverishly as she continued to giggle. He ran kisses down her neck and nuzzled her behind her ear, which tickled, and she laughed as she helped him remove his sports coat and he helped remove her jacket. They'd both had enough wine with their dinner and were now feeling its effects, but she undoubtedly felt it a bit more than he for she didn't mind that he was touching her in ways he'd never done before.

Roan fumbled along the wall until he found the switch for a small wall sconce, and he turned it on, giving her her first look at his very elegant apartment.

"Oh, wow, this is really nice!" she gushed as she looked over his shoulder. Even in the dim light she could see his living room and kitchen and noticed the fireplace opposite the couch. "Can we light a fire?" she asked eagerly as she pushed past him and went into the living room, removing her shoes and tossing them carelessly to the side as she went.

"No problem," he murmured. He went to the wall next to the fireplace and turned a knob, lighting the fire instantly, and then looked over at her with a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Come here, Tiffany," he said softly as he beckoned her over with a finger.

She was feeling rather coy and walked behind the couch with a smile. "No," she said playfully. She thought he looked so handsome by firelight, and she backed away as he approached her slowly. His apartment was larger than hers, and she loved the spacious living room.

"Come to me, Tiffany," he murmured huskily as he advanced on her slowly. She was beautiful, and she looked very tempting in her top with the low-cut neckline that showed ample cleavage and her short skirt that showed her legs to their best advantage.

"No," she smiled, and she rounded the corner of the couch so that she was in front of it again. She hadn't seen Roan in ages although their families had known each other forever, and she was pleased when Roan had offered to take her out. He was devastatingly handsome, and she looked forward to getting to know him much better…

When he rounded the other corner of the couch, they were both in front of it, and that was when Roan lunged, catching her off guard and causing her to shriek as he grabbed her around the waist as she laughed merrily, not quite steady on her feet. "I don't remember you ever being this playful when we were kids," he murmured as he again began kissing her neck and shoulders and he ran his hands over her buttocks.

She moaned as she felt him exploring her body. "You were never this interesting before," she purred seductively, which had its desired effect when he captured her lips in a kiss that was causing her to become dizzy. She felt herself falling backwards, but perhaps it was Roan lowering her onto the couch, she wasn't sure. He lifted her knitted top up so that he could rain kisses onto her torso, and then moved aside her bra so that he could have access to her generous mounds. She giggled and laughed when he sucked her nipples, and he quickly removed her sweater and bra, tossing them aside as he removed his own shirt. He reached down and unzipped her skirt and pulled it down with her panties so that she was totally naked, and he quickly removed his belt and pants until he was naked as well.

He drank in the sight of her, appreciating her womanly beauty, and he saw that she was gazing up at him in a similar fashion, her eyes trailing over his body and finally resting upon his cock, which by now was erect. She had a glazed smile on her face and he could tell that she was still drunk, but that was okay. She probably wouldn't remember much of this evening, but he'd make sure that what she did remember would be pleasant. She shifted on the couch and slowly moved her knees apart, and he smiled as he lay down on top of her, slowly rubbing his body against hers, reveling in the feel of her softness. He reached down between her legs to feel her wetness, and found her incredibly so. He took hold of himself and guided his cock into her, and she gasped briefly before she wrapped her legs around him, moving her hips to match his movements. He began pumping into her steadily, loving the feel of her warm tunnel. She was moaning softly, which was tremendously arousing to him, and he began to pump a little faster, enabling him to feel the gradual building of his excitement. It was strange, he thought, but even as he made love to Tiffany, his mind was wandering to someone else…someone he really did want to make love to…Christine.

He was thrusting harder now, and his breathing was becoming labored, as was hers, and as he began to feel the orgasm overtake his senses, he imagined that it was no longer Tiffany he was taking, but Christine…his Christine…and she was coming now as well, her muscles tightening around him as she struggled and writhed in her own climax…. _Yes, yes…Christine…_


	39. New Year's Eve

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: Thanks to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith and Musicallover, and welcome to my new story editor, Archeology101!

Chapter 39

New Year's Eve

_Saturday evening_

Megan was driving her sleek Mercedes sports car, which had been a gift from Amir, and Christine thought it suited her. They were on their way to Gaston's for New Year's Eve dinner and were "dressed to impress" as Megan called it, but Christine just thought it felt good to be dressed up again and wearing high heels. As they pulled up into the Phil's parking garage and began walking over to Gaston's, Christine couldn't help but wonder how Erik would be celebrating New Year's. Would he stay up to watch the fireworks from his balcony?

As they walked into Gaston's, Christine had expected it to be very crowded this evening, but she was glad that Megan's 8:30 reservations allowed them to be shown to a very nice booth against the wall, and they ordered their drinks. It was a full-house and every seat had been taken, but she loved Gaston's because the ambiance was intimate and relaxed, and because so many from the theatre community dined there, she felt that it was a place where she belonged. As their drinks were placed on napkins before them, Christine thought that it was rather ironic that Erik was so close, relatively, to Gaston's since he lived just atop the Phil, but she didn't think he had dinner there often, if at all, since he'd never brought her there when they were together. When the waiter came by to take their order, Christine requested appetizers of oysters on the half and the lobster, while Megan opted for appetizers of fried calamari and the black sea bass, and they both ordered glasses of pinot grigio to go with their meal.

As she looked around, Christine could feel the excitement in the air since it was New Year's, and all of the tables were decorated with hats, noisemakers, and confetti streamers in anticipation of the celebration that would take place at midnight. Yet even as she looked at the happy diners and revelers, she felt as though she were in limbo. She wasn't happy or excited as everyone else there seemed to be. She felt sad, bereft, and abandoned. If not for Megan, she was sure she'd be curled up in bed watching a movie, and most likely would have stayed there until Monday when she went back to school.

When their food was brought to the table, it was presented wonderfully and Christine thought that it was almost too pretty to eat. She glanced over at Megan as they placed their napkins across their laps and took their first bite. Megan looked like she was in heaven. She had her eyes closed and was savoring the exquisite flavors.

"How's your sea bass?" Christine smiled.

Megan kept her eyes closed and smiled as she continued chewing. "Mmm-mm."

Christine had to grin. She loved to see Megan enjoying a good meal because she was one person who didn't just eat, but one who truly _dined._

Christine hadn't had oysters since Erik first introduced her to the Great San Francisco Fish Market after the Bal Masque, and she had had a craving for them. She squeezed a little lemon over her oyster and delicately sliced it in half since Pacific oysters were so large, and she skewered it with her shrimp fork and popped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes and relished the incredibly fresh flavor of her oyster offset by the tangy lemon, and she had found nirvana. She chewed, remembering the night Erik had fed her an oyster by tipping it whole into her mouth from the shell, and then later challenging her to eat fugu…. The memories were painful, and even as she ate the last of her oyster, she felt a deep pain in her heart as tears ran down her face again.

"Is there something wrong with your food?" Megan asked, concerned, when she saw Christine's distress.

Christine could only shake her head and smile, as if an oyster by itself could reduce her to tears. Dear Megan. "No, the oysters are wonderful. I was just remembering when Erik took me to the Fish Market." She smiled through her tears because she didn't want to spoil their evening by crying and bringing down the mood. She started in on her lobster and dredged it in the garlic butter sauce that came with it. She took a bite. It was delicious, and she thought that this was the perfect way to end the year...a sumptuous dinner with her best friend to close out this year and start the next with a clean slate.

Megan was glad she could be with her to help her through this hard time because she knew Christine didn't have anyone else who could comfort her. She almost wished Rick could be more of a friend to Christine at this time as well, but then knew that that it probably wouldn't be wise since he was most likely still in love with her. Christine had told her about Roan and the argument they'd had, and then about how she'd accused him of telling Erik about their former involvement, only to find out that Roan hadn't spoken to him. It seemed inevitable to Megan that Roan would become a part of Christine's life, now that Erik was out of the picture, and she wondered how that would work out. She really didn't know much about him other than the fact that his family was wealthy and that he was working an internship at the Phil with Rick. But somehow, she just couldn't imagine Christine with Roan for it had always seemed to her that she and Erik were meant for each other. Just like she and Amir…

They talked quietly about any and everything and enjoyed the evening and their dinner. When it came time for dessert, they decided to share a dish of chocolate zabaglione, a creamy Italian ice cream.

"So I wonder where Roan lives?" Christine asked after admitting that she'd been ready to kill him the night she IM'd him.

"He lives close to the Phil, a few minutes from Rick," Megan volunteered before downing another spoonful of ice cream.

Christine looked at her in surprise. "How did you know that?"

"Through my mom. She's had dealings with his family before and I'd sometimes help her out. He lives in the Moscone Towers."

"_Are you serious?" _Christine was amazed for she knew the apartments there ranged from the low $500,000's to the millions, and the cheap ones were about the size of her own small apartment. Of course, even Rick's apartment had been quite lavish, but after two years, she realized that she had taken it for granted.

"Yes, and I think one of his sisters might live up there, too..." She was about to say something further, but then seemed distracted.

Christine didn't notice. "Well, one of these days, maybe we'll be able to live in fancy digs, too, although I do like my little apartment."

Megan put down her spoon. "Um, are you done? Maybe we should get ready to go…it's starting to get late and I'll have to meet Amir soon."

"Oh, okay, but we haven't finished dessert yet." Christine put her spoon down, but wondered why Megan wanted to rush her out of there, leaving their dessert half-eaten, which had to be a first.

Megan got her money out and put it on the table, but Christine wondered if they shouldn't wait for their waiter to bring the check. "Where's our waiter?" she asked as she reached for her purse.

"It's my treat, hon, let's go," and Megan reached for her coat.

"Megan, I can't have you treat me for this. It's too expensive!" and Christine reached for her purse to get her money out as she continued to look around for their waiter.

"Christine…" Megan placed her hand on Christine's wrist, prepared to drag her out, when Christine suddenly froze.

Megan followed her gaze and slowly released her wrist. In another part of the restaurant, in a booth in a dimly lit alcove, were Erik and Joanna.

Christine seemed frozen in time as she stared at them. They were both dressed formally for the evening and looked wonderful. Joanna looked as beautiful as ever. But more than beautiful, she was striking in her strapless black evening gown with her hair elegantly styled. They looked like they were having a good time as both of them were smiling broadly, and then Erik raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. Joanna beamed and gave him a dazzling smile which he returned.

Christine's heart was breaking anew into a million pieces, and as she stared, the tears flowed down her face and onto her lap.

Megan knew that Christine's heart was breaking all over again and wished there was something she could do. "Christine…"

"Occam's Razor."

Megan looked at her. "What?"

"Occam's Razor," she whispered. "I get it now."

"Christine, let's go home," Megan said softly.

Christine didn't move. "Everything is crystal clear now. Nothing else mattered, the mask didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that he loved me, and I loved him. I see it now…the simplest answer."

* * *

Megan drove Christine home from Gaston's and they didn't speak until they reached her apartment. Megan wished she could spend another night with her, but she had to meet Amir soon back at the Phil. She'd always known Christine would someday understand about Occam's Razor, but as she feared, now was too late. 

"Christine, are you all right? I can come by and visit tomorrow…"

"No, that's all right, Megan. You've already spent a couple nights with me, and I think that's enough, I'll be okay. Go and celebrate New Year's with Amir," she smiled. "I'm just going to take a shower and then get to bed."

"Okay," Megan said dubiously, "but if you need _anything_, promise me you'll call. I'll have my cell phone on."

"Okay, mom," Christine teased and she gave her a hug. "And thanks for everything."

After Megan left, Christine went to her bedroom to get undressed, moving slowly as her tears continued their steady flow. She grabbed her robe, hung it up in the bathroom, and began to draw her bath. She threw a few scented bath oil beads in the water and lit several aroma therapy candles to place around the bathroom. She really felt the need to be pampered tonight. Pinecone came in and sat on the rug to keep her company, and Christine sat next to her and scratched her behind the ears until the tub filled.

The bathroom was soon warm and steamy and smelled wonderfully of herbs. Christine stepped gingerly into the tub and slowly settled herself in the hot water until she was able to lie back and place her towel over her eyes as the soothing bath oils did their magic.

She thought ruefully back to the sight of Erik and Joanna and felt her heart ache. Everything was so complicated… All of her concerns regarding Erik's mask seemed petty, now that he was gone. He had loved her with a passion that she at one time would never have thought possible, and he had excited it within her to an extent she'd never believed herself capable. She knew she would never experience such a love again.

_Occam's Razor. _Why hadn't she been able to see it before? It was so simple! Megan had even given her the answers, yet she hadn't been able to see it until now…when Erik was gone, and was now with another woman. She felt so stupid…why couldn't she see it then? But what could she do now…what could she do…

And she still didn't know why he left to begin with. He believed what Roan had told him about what they had done together, but it was during the three weeks when she thought he'd left her! He couldn't hold that against her! Roan had told her that Joanna had given Erik a blow job just before he came to see her. _But he didn't stay with her, he came back to me! _Christine dissected everything she could remember of their two months together, their time apart, their arguments, and things that Roan had said, but one fact remained constant…that none of it mattered, because she still loved him. _Occam's Razor…the simplest answer. _That was all that mattered.

She felt better by the time she stepped out of the tub. Her skin was softened and her mind was clearer than before her bath. When she looked at the clock, she saw that it was a little after eleven. She debated on whether to stay up to watch the fireworks or go to bed, and then decided to stay up a little longer since she wasn't at all sleepy. She wandered into the living room and put on some soothing music, and thought some more about Occam's Razor. Yes, she understood it now, or most of it, yet there was more to it…

It had to be communication, or miscommunication, at the crux of it. Erik left because he thought she'd been with Roan when she shouldn't have been, but it was at a time when she and Erik hadn't been together…or she hadn't _thought_ they were together. Erik and Joanna had been together during the same time period. Christine sat still and thought about this for several minutes. Pinecone hopped up to sit on her lap, but Christine stroked her absently, lost in her concentration. It was starting to come together…

Erik had reacted under a false assumption, but he was unaware of it because he hadn't listened to her explanation. When he'd initially asked about her involvement with Roan, she'd been so shocked at his opening that her first impulse had been to say nothing. Yet when she'd offered to explain a few minutes later, it was too late…Erik had already come to his own conclusions. She'd been willing to overlook his tryst with Joanna because he didn't stay with her after all, and he had come back to her immediately afterwards, but she had to admit that she did want to know how he came to be with Joanna after having been separated from her for just three weeks.

Christine realized with sudden clarity that they needed to talk, immediately. She went to her bedroom and hurriedly began to dress. She knew it was very possible he would refuse to hear her out and might even throw her out of his apartment, but she would _make_ him listen, no matter what. She knew she wouldn't fail…she couldn't.

* * *

When Megan arrived at the Phil after dropping Christine off at her apartment, she went directly to Amir's office after entering the building through the lobby. Because of the programs and staff schedules, there was always a security guard posted who would either be in the lobby or out walking the grounds. She felt safe coming here even at this late hour. The guard acknowledged her with a nod and she took the elevator to the fifth floor. 

As she stepped out of the elevator, she was glad the lights in the corridor were still lit. It felt a little strange to be the only one wandering around the Philharmonic offices, but she walked quickly to the end of the hall where Amir's corner office was located. He'd asked her to meet him there at 11:30, and it was almost that time now. The door was closed, so she knocked lightly out of habit before gently opening it. As she peeked in, she noticed that the lights were out and that the room was in darkness except for the large window adjacent to the desk.

"Amir…" she called softly. The room appeared empty, so she walked in and decided to wait. She walked over to the picture window and gazed out over the city. The year would be over in less than half an hour, and a new year would begin. This year had been an incredible one for her. She'd met Amir and in the span of two short months had had more wonderful experiences with him than she'd ever had in her life. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and then exhaled.

"A penny for your thoughts?" came a sudden voice to her right.

Megan yelped as she jumped backed from the window. Amir had been seated in his chair facing the window, but she hadn't seen him because the chair was cloaked in darkness. "You almost gave me a heart attack!" she said angrily as she tried to regain her composure.

Amir smiled gently. "I'm sorry, my dear. What were you thinking of just now?"

Megan smiled. "I was just thinking about how wonderful this year has been. I've never been so happy."

Amir stood and approached her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Nor have I," he said softly, and he lowered his head to kiss her. As they stood by the window, he closed his eyes as he took in her sweet fragrance. He loved the feel of her in his arms. He realized that he felt at peace whenever he was with her, and that whatever worries he'd had before would pale because he knew that she was also a partner. One whom he knew had his best interests at heart and would do what she could to help him make his life easier and happier. She'd already done this unknowingly, laying to rest his many demons from long ago, and he felt incredibly fortunate to be a part of her life. "Let's go," he murmured.

"Where are we going?" she asked softly.

"Not far. You can leave your purse here. We can come back for it later."

He took her hand and they left his office. He locked it behind them and led them to the elevators. He punched the button for the parking garage, and when they stepped out and walked amongst the many luxury vehicles, he led her to a door she never would have noticed had he not inserted a key in an unobtrusive lock in the wall. The door opened soundlessly, and she was surprised to find that they were outside again, behind the Phil. He led her up a small walkway and through a gate into a small enclosure, and she gasped when she saw what it was.

It was the most beautiful garden she'd ever seen. Winter flowers in various colors were in bloom all around them, and there were trees and bushes placed to ensure privacy. There were outdoor heaters set up and it was comfortably warm. Candles were lit and placed in standing candelabras around the center of…what? It looked like a bed on the ground for there were pillows at the head, but the bed itself looked like a plush, luxuriously furry rug, raised off the ground and roomy enough for two people. "What's this?" Megan asked, surprised.

"Why, it's our front-row seats to see the fireworks, of course…and to celebrate our first New Year's together," Amir grinned.

Megan smiled widely and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Everything's so beautiful…thank you," she whispered. "But what is a garden like this doing behind the Phil where no one can see it?"

"Actually, it's not the only one," he explained as he led her around it. "There are several secret gardens like this one all around the Phil. It was part of the architect's magical vision."

Megan was amazed. If there were several gardens like this one, then that would mean there would have to be a full-time gardener just to take care of them all. It would be a shame if something so wondrous were hidden away from the public. "Who else can see them?" she asked.

"Special people, and the public, but only by special appointment."

As they walked around the enclosure, Megan was impressed. "It's so beautiful…it's just amazing," she murmured.

"Not as amazing as you are, cherie," Amir whispered as he nuzzled her hair.

Megan turned around to face him, and he kissed her tenderly as he began to lower the front of her dress, while she helped him unbutton his shirt. She loved his kisses, and she could feel herself becoming lost in it as he continued to undress her… She helped him remove the rest of his clothing as well, and as he slowly removed her bra, he kissed her shoulders and collarbone. He then slipped her panties off, and she stood before him naked. He lowered her to the plush rug and kissed her deeply, and she wrapped her arms around him.

There was a sudden flash of light from up above, and then a very loud _boom! _Megan shrieked in surprise, and as they looked upward, saw that the fireworks had begun. Megan blushed, embarrassed, but Amir smiled down at her warmly, and they both lay back on the pillows to watch the light show take place directly above them, wrapped comfortably in each other's arms.

* * *

As she drove quickly over to the Phil, Christine went over several scenarios of what could happen when she confronted Erik tonight to talk. She imagined that if he were home, he would most likely still be up to watch the fireworks, but upon seeing her at his door, could very likely choose to close it in her face. Or if he opened to her, he might still refuse to listen. But it didn't matter, even if he refused to listen to her, she would still tell him everything that had ever transpired with Roan. She'd _make_ him see that nothing had happened. On the other hand, if he didn't open the door to her, she would let herself in with her key and face his wrath in order to have her say. Once she'd said her piece, she knew he'd have to talk to her. She knew him well enough to know that much… 

When she reached the Phil's parking garage, she made her way over to the lobby, nodded to the guard on duty who was about to leave the building to walk the grounds, and quickly walked over to the elevators. As she punched the button for the sixth floor, the butterflies in her stomach began to grow heavier and she hoped her anxiety wouldn't cause her to throw up.

When the elevator brought her to her destination, she slowly walked up the eerily quiet corridor to Erik's front door. She leaned her head to the door to see if she could hear anything, but all was quiet. She knocked softly and called, "Erik?" There was no response and she couldn't hear anything, so she tried again. "Erik?"

She gave it a moment, and when it became obvious that no one was coming to open the door, Christine reached for her keys. She hesitated as she looked at it, steeling herself to meet Erik's wrath for letting herself in. She placed the key in the lock and quietly opened the door. The fireplace was out, but she was glad there were a couple of dimmed sconces still lit so she could find her way about. "Erik?" she whispered.

She felt like an intruder, skulking about without the owner's permission, and indeed she was just that, but she wouldn't be deterred from what she knew she had to do. She pressed on, and looking out the large window, saw that the patio was in darkness, which meant that Erik wasn't watching the fireworks tonight. She began to wonder now if he was even at home. She walked through the dining room and past the studio. The studio doors were open now, but it was dark inside. She pressed on to the bathroom, which was likewise dark, and then to his bedroom, but the door was closed. She wondered if he'd already gone to bed.

She opened the bedroom door quietly, and peeked in as she opened it wider. The only light in the room was from the small fireplace opposite the bed, but it still burned brightly enough to dimly illuminate the interior. As she looked over at the bed, she saw Erik asleep on his side, naked. _He looks so handsome even when he sleeps _she thought. But as her eyes adjusted to the dimness, she realized with growing horror that there was another form in front of him… naked, blond…_Joanna! _Erik had his arm draped possessively around her, his hand cupping her breast…. Christine was beginning to hyperventilate, and she felt dizzy. Her tears came unbidden, and she started to cry desperately in silence. She was about to turn and leave, when, unexpectedly, a sob escaped her lips. The sound was enough to cause Erik to wake.

He looked towards the source of the sound, trying to focus, when he saw Christine. She was looking at him in horror, and he thought…_she looks like she's dying…_when he finally found his voice. _"WAIT!" _

When she saw him look at her, she bolted, and she could no longer hold back her sobs. She ran out of the apartment to the elevator at the end of the hall and jabbed the call button repeatedly in her attempt to escape from this waking nightmare. _Where's the damned elevator! _

Erik leaped up from the bed and grabbed his robe. He hurriedly threw it on and tied it closed as he ran out the door. The elevator doors were just closing and he could see Christine huddled on the far wall inside it, covering her face, crying. He reached it just as it closed, and he pounded frantically on the doors, crying out desperately, _"CHRISTINE! CHRISTINE!" _

As the elevator descended, Christine could hear him pounding and calling her name. _I'm too late…too late. _She'd seen him in bed with Joanna, that was all she could assimilate, and it was too much… She could still hear him, pounding and shouting from up above, but she couldn't bear it...

From several floors below, Erik heard a tortured scream…_Christine_. _She was here, she came back…and now she's gone. _He was at the end of his rope, and he was lost, totally lost… He fell back against the wall next to the elevator and covered his face as he began to sob. _NO! She can't go now! I can't let her get away…I have to find her! _

He ran back to his apartment and quickly got dressed. He was about to leave the bedroom when Joanna stirred. "Erik? Where are you going, darling?" she murmured sleepily.

"I have to go out," he said brusquely, and then he was gone. He went down to the car condo and climbed into his Ferrari. He flew down the streets of San Francisco, heedless of the speed limit or of anything else until he found himself in front of Christine's apartment. Her car wasn't there, and he wondered if there was anywhere else she could have parked it. He double-parked on the street and ran up the stairs to her door. He knocked on the door, but there was no sound from within. After a few moments, he heard Pinecone meow by the door, so he knew she wasn't home.

He got back in his car and drove back toward the Phil. He called Christine's cell phone, but it was turned off. He called Amir, but his answering machine picked up instead. _Damn it! Where is everyone? Where could she have gone? _He wanted to call Megan because it'd be reasonable to think she would turn to her best friend, but he didn't have her number, and he was loathed to call Madame Gerard about this and involve her in his personal affairs.

Not knowing what else to do, he returned home...

* * *

Roan was in his darkened living room looking out his picture window at the fireworks display at the Phil. It was getting better each year, he thought. Tiffany had called him earlier and had suggested spending New Year's together, but he wasn't up for it. One night with her had been enough. He turned from the window and decided to go to bed. 

He was crossing the living room on his way to the bedroom when he heard frantic knocking at his door. He walked up to it and called, "Who's there?"

"Christine!"

He wondered what Christine could possibly be doing at his door on New Year's Eve and hurriedly unlocked it. When he finally opened to her, he was shocked to see the state she was in. She'd obviously been crying and she seemed on the verge of hysteria.

"Christine?"

When he reached out toward her, he was shocked when she threw herself into his arms and began crying uncontrollably. He held her tightly as she cried, and he closed the door.

He tried to look at her to find out what was wrong. "Christine, what happened?"

Through her sobbing and tears, she cried, _"You were right! Everything you said about Erik and Joanna…you were right…you were right…"_

She collapsed into his arms as she cried, and he picked her up and gently carried her into his bedroom...


	40. Comfort

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: Thanks to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 40

Comfort

_Christine had told Erik everything, about her involvement with Roan, and about how she had realized that nothing mattered except that she loved him, and that he loved her. _

_Erik was pacing, gathering his thoughts, until he stopped and turned to face her. He looked sad. "I gave you everything, Christine…my life, my love…everything, but it was never enough for you. And now that I've found someone who appreciates who I am, who doesn't care about my mask and who will be faithful to me, you want to come back into my life again. It's too late, Christine, it's too late."_

_"No, Erik! Please, it doesn't have to be!" she pleaded frantically. "I was wrong, I know that now. The mask doesn't mean anything, the only thing that matters is you and me! Please, I love you!" _

_She stood and tried to reach for him, but he turned his back to her, facing his window. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind. She was crying, her world was being destroyed…_

_"Please," she whispered brokenly. "Please don't do this, Erik, I love you…" _

_He grabbed her hands and pried them away. He walked over to his bedroom and opened the door. Joanna was standing on the other side, and she looked radiant. She raised her hand and cupped the side of his face as he raised his arms to embrace her. He then kissed her deeply before moving them both into the bedroom and closing the door. _

_Christine felt like she couldn't breathe. She remained standing in the same spot as he left her, but something was happening…inside of her… She could feel it starting to happen somewhere deep inside..._

_It felt as though her universe was exploding, that all around her, the world had turned an angry shade of dark red. She felt a sharp pain in her head, as though all the synapses were firing at once and burning. I'm dying, she thought. Is this what an aneurysm feels like? The pain had caused her to cry out and tears to spring to her eyes. She could feel herself falling, but couldn't remember hitting anything because everything had turned black before she hit the floor…_

She woke up thrashing and crying and calling Erik's name. She felt completely out of control until strong arms suddenly appeared and wrapped themselves around her, giving her their strength and comfort. When they'd stopped her thrashing and her cries finally died, she was left with only tears and a lingering disquietude.

"Hey," came a gentle whisper, "you had a nightmare, but it's okay now. I'm here."

When she became aware of her surroundings, Christine saw that she was in an unfamiliar bedroom and that a soft night light was on. She turned to look at her protector. "R-Roan…?"

"Yeah, babe, it's me. It'll be all right now," he said softly. "It's 4:00 in the morning, try and get some more sleep."

Christine relaxed slightly and closed her eyes. Roan relaxed his hold on her and rearranged the throw over her shoulders. As he started to move off the bed, Christine startled and grabbed his arm. "_No_, don't leave! Please…in case the dreams come back..."

Roan hesitated, and then laid down beside her as he wrapped his arms around her. In a few minutes, her even breathing told him that she had fallen asleep again. _What happened tonight? _he wondered. _What did that freak do to her? Maybe I'll get some answers in the morning… _He held her in his arms for a little longer and breathed in the floral fragrance of her hair. He loved holding her, protecting her, and as long as she was under his care, he swore that no one would ever hurt her, especially Erik Dupont. When he was sure she was fast asleep, he gently released her and went back to sleep in the second bedroom.

Erik hadn't gotten home until close to 3:00 that morning. When he saw that Christine wasn't at home, he went looking for her. She'd been highly distraught, and he was worried that something could have happened to her. He went everywhere he thought she might have gone…the conservatory, the beach, the planetarium…he'd even checked the hospitals, but he didn't see her car anywhere. When he finally returned home, he was despondent, and myriad questions swirled through his mind. _Why did she come back? Why wasn't she with Roan?_

And when she'd seen him in bed with Joanna, _she was dying. But if she was with Roan, why would she even care? _None of this made sense.

Erik walked into his closet and got undressed as he prepared to go back to bed. The timer to his small fireplace had long ago wound down, but the nightlight next to his bed showed that Joanna was still asleep, as though nothing at all had happened. He got into bed next to her and lay flat on his back for awhile, just thinking…. _Why did she come back? Why would she be so upset if she's with Roan? _He closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over them as his heart again began to ache. He wondered if he could ever forget her.

He turned toward Joanna and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. He turned his head to bury his face in her hair, which smelled so wonderful, and he began to cry silently, his tears wetting her hair and the pillow upon which it lay. He knew he still loved Christine, and even though he had made love to Joanna tonight, it was Christine that was still in his heart.

_Earlier that evening _

They had had a wonderful dinner at Gaston's and they had laughed and talked of interesting topics as they ate. He had truly enjoyed Joanna's company, and her conversation had been witty and intelligent. She'd been so surprised when he'd asked her to dinner earlier that day.

They had been rehearsing for January's new production, and during a break, he approached her. She had just finished rehearsing a part with the choir when he called her over.

"Joanna."

When she saw that it was he who had called to her, she almost looked panicked, but she approached him anyway, seeing as how she really had no choice.

"Yes, Mr. Dupont?" she asked cautiously.

"Joanna, I don't believe we got off to a very good start, and I'd like to make up for it. Would you care to have dinner with me tonight?"

Joanna was shocked, but she smiled and readily agreed. If Mr. Dupont wanted to make amends for their bad beginning, perhaps this could be the start of a better relationship.

And so he picked her up at her apartment and she was excited and happy. He was pleased with her appearance and had to admit that she was uncommonly beautiful, much more so than Christine, and she also seemed to have a sweetness about her. Although he knew her family was wealthy, she had been impressed by the black Maybach. He had expected her to be somewhat of a chatterbox in her nervousness, but was pleased that she conducted herself well and spoke sparingly on their way to Gaston's.

Yes, dinner was a success, and they had both enjoyed it and each other's company immensely. They had had wine with their dinner and then an after-dinner cocktail when they'd finished, but Erik sensed that Joanna was not accustomed to imbibing alcohol, for her speech had seemed minutely slurred after just two glasses of wine and a cocktail, although her company was still very enjoyable.

After dinner, they'd walked outside and he led her to the Phil. She'd been amazed that as the resident composer, he actually lived atop the Philharmonic, and so he brought her up to his apartment and showed her. She thought his apartment was magnificent, and as he gave her a tour, she was in awe of everything. She'd noticed the topiary in the alcove between the kitchen and dining room and mentioned that it was beautiful. Erik had said nothing, for it was a gift from Christine, and though he continued the tour, his heart was already rent at this passing mention of his love.

He lit the fireplace and loosened his tie and undid the top two buttons of his dress shirt for comfort. Joanna noticed this and thought he looked desperately handsome. They sat comfortably in the living room conversing over glasses of cognac, and eventually she rose to go stand by the fire.

"Are you all right, Joanna?" he asked as he watched her.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just in awe of your life. You create music, you live atop the Philharmonic…it just seems like you have everything."

_"Non, pas tout,"_ he said sadly, trying to keep his emotions at bay. _(No, not everything.)_

Joanna picked up the sadness in his voice and guessed correctly that it had to do with Christine. "I'm sorry, but you're not with Ms. Karlsson any longer?"

He shook his head and whispered, "No."

"I'm sorry. _Mais tout se produit pour une raison," _she said sincerely._ "Aumoins j'ai trouvê cela pour être vrai dans mon cas," _she said softly. _(But everything happens for a reason. At least I've found that to be true in my case.)_

Erik stood and joined her in standing before the fire. He wasn't sure what to say, so said nothing, and just looked at the dancing flames. Standing so close to her now, he could smell her perfume…_so intoxicating…_

Joanna finished the last of her cognac and set the glass on the mantle. She wondered if they would see the fireworks tonight. She turned to him and saw that he was looking at her. Perhaps it was the fire in the fireplace, or the alcohol, or their own desires, but something seemed to pass between them that was mutual. As their eyes locked, she thought they seemed to be gradually moving closer, and before she knew it, his lips were on hers and his arms had wrapped themselves around her as she embraced him as well. She was floating, and when his tongue pushed past her lips to sensuously caress hers, she felt herself become weak. It was a wonderful, chaotic sensation that she was quickly becoming lost in.

When their lips parted, Erik just gazed at her until he whispered huskily, _"Vous êtes si beau, Joanna" (You're so beautiful, Joanna.) _He kissed her again deeply, this time feeling her under him as he held her. She was so slender and firm…and he began raining kisses upon her as he began to lose himself in her as she returned his passion with her own.

As if in a daze, he picked her up easily and carried her swiftly to his master bedroom. She seemed weightless and everything seemed surreal…

_Sunday morning, January 1st _

When Christine awoke, it was with a feeling of dread, although she couldn't remember immediately why that was, but she knew from experience that once her memory returned, she would feel awful. As she lay in bed, slowly waking up, the memory of last night did start to return, and with it came despair. _He's really out of my life…he found someone else. _She wished she could just crawl into a hole and cover the earth up over herself, but since she was a guest in someone's home, knew that would be inappropriate.

As she raised herself up in bed, she realized she was still wearing her clothes from the night before. Her first thought was that she had to go home to shower and change, but then she heard a soft knock on the bedroom door.

"Come in," she called softly.

Roan opened the door as he carried in a tray of food. "Good morning, sweetheart, I'm glad you're up. I thought you might be hungry."

Christine was surprised, and felt guilty. "Oh, Roan, you didn't have to make me breakfast in bed! I'm so sorry I barged in on you last night the way I did, but I didn't know where else to go."

Roan set the tray across her lap and Christine saw that he'd made some bacon and eggs and a bowl of oatmeal, with a glass of juice. "You don't have to apologize to me, Christine. I told you I'd always be here for you, and I meant that. Now eat up, or I'll think you don't like my cooking," he smiled warmly.

"Thank you," she said softly. Christine smiled in appreciation and began eating. She had to admit that she was grateful for Roan's hospitality and friendship and was actually dreading going home to an empty house with nothing but bad memories to follow her days.

Roan watched her, glad to see that she was eating. "I don't know what happened last night, but I wanted to invite you to stay with me another night so you won't have to be alone. You start school again Monday, but you can just leave from here in the morning since I'm closer to the conservatory than you are."

It sounded like a wonderful idea to Christine, but she was worried about being in the way there. "I really appreciate your kindness, but I don't want to impose on you…"

"You could never impose on me," he interrupted. "I want you here," and he meant it.

Christine appreciated it and knew she would need to repay him someday. "Thank you, I'd like that," she said softly. "But I'll have to go home for a little while to take care of Pinecone and shower and get changed."

"Of course, I'll go over with you," he said unexpectedly.

Christine looked at him curiously. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Because I miss being there," he replied softly.

Roan drove her over in his car, and as they climbed the stairs to her apartment, he realized that he didn't think he'd ever return here again. As Christine opened her door, they saw Pinecone sitting watch by the door as if awaiting her return, and she meowed happily when she saw her mistress. Christine picked her up immediately.

"Hi, baby, I'm so glad to see you! You remember Roan, don't you?" And she held her up to see Roan as she scratched her neck.

Roan smiled at this exchange and he petted Pinecone lightly. He was actually a dog person.

Christine went into the kitchen and got out a can of cat food to feed Pinecone when Roan stopped her. "Why don't you go and take your shower, hon? I'll do that," and he took the can and began opening it with the can opener.

"Okay, thanks, I'll be out in a few minutes." And Christine disappeared into the back rooms.

As he went about preparing Pinecone's food, he tried to concentrate on the activity at hand rather than the thought of Christine naked in a hot, steaming shower just a few feet away. He emptied the contents of the can onto a small dish and cut the chunks into smaller bits. Pinecone followed eagerly as he set the dish down by the wall. That done, he walked into the living room to wait for Christine, but as he looked around, noticed that the room looked somehow different. He walked around to see if he could pinpoint why that was until he realized that there was nothing there to remind him of Erik. _So they'd broken up before last night_. _Yet it was just last night that she saw him with Joanna. As hysterical as she was, she must have seen them in bed together… Holy shit. _Now that he had a better grasp of the situation, he was in a better position to help her, and he knew exactly what to do.

As he walked around the room, he walked over to her bookcase and was surprised to see that in addition to her books and DVDs, there was also a set of erotic Chinese figurines on the top shelf. _Now that's interesting…I wouldn't have thought her to be into that sort of thing, but I guess you just never know about people. Maybe she's more open to such things than I thought. _

As she finished with her shower, Christine donned her blue bathrobe and made her way to the bedroom. As she crossed the living room, she smiled at Roan and saw that he was watching one of her movies with Pinecone on his lap. She rifled through her closet and decided to wear a casual dress and take another change of clothes as she packed her overnight bag with whatever she would need.

When she walked into the living room, Roan stood up and smiled. _She's so beautiful_ he thought. _As long as she's in my care, no one will ever hurt her. She'll be with me for 24 hours. That's all I'll need to make a lasting impression…_

_Sunday evening _

Roan had been a very kind and accommodating host, and seemed to understand when Christine slept through much of the day. When she awoke around three in the afternoon, Roan was there, and he made her a light lunch of a green salad and soup.

The day felt unreal to Christine, as though she were walking through a dream, but the only thing she was certain of was the physical pain in her heart, which felt like a dull, constant throbbing. She would quietly wander around Roan's spacious apartment while he cooked, cleaned, or would go out for groceries, and she was grateful that he didn't try to cheer her up with forced smiles or by suggesting they go out to get her mind off of last night. She wouldn't have minded going back to bed again and not waking up till she had to go to school in the morning, but she thought she'd had enough sleep for the day.

As she wandered into the living room, she noticed some rented DVDs by the large flat screen TV and saw that they were several new releases and some older science fiction and horror movies. She looked over at Roan, who was in the kitchen, and smiled to herself. _He got these just for me. _

She selected one and put it in the DVD player, and then settled herself comfortably on his plush couch. She found herself enjoying the movie very much, and after awhile, Roan came over with a tray of raw vegetables and dip and some iced tea, and sat next to her. They enjoyed the movie together, and when it finished, he went to refill her iced tea. When he returned, he said that she could watch another movie if she wished because he was going to prepare dinner. Christine popped in a horror movie this time, and by the time it ended, Roan had set the table in the dining room and dinner was ready to be served.

Christine was surprised when she saw a beautiful table setting with linen tablecloth, napkins in napkin rings, candles, and soft music in the background. He pulled the chair out for her to take her seat, and as he served the main course, she saw that he had prepared trout almandine with all the trimmings, along with glasses of sparkling white wine. Christine was moved that he would go through all this trouble for her, and was impressed when she took her first bite. "Roan, this is just wonderful…I love it!"

"I'm glad you like it," he smiled modestly.

As she ate her fill of trout, garlic mashed potatoes and baby squash, Christine thought how strange it was that she should be enjoying her meal so thoroughly when her heart lay broken in so many pieces. She was truly grateful to Roan for being there for her and for helping her through this ordeal by his pampering.

When she finished, he removed their plates and returned with a light dessert of lime jello parfait in a very attractive dessert dish. Christine was amazed by this young bachelor's elegant hospitality, but she imagined that it was due to being raised around privilege all his life. When they finished, he gathered their bowls and wine glasses and took them into the kitchen. Christine followed to help clean the dishes, but Roan wouldn't hear of it.

"I only have you for this one night, Christine. Let me enjoy being with you. The dishes will always be here." He led her back to the living room and put one of the new releases in the DVD player as he turned on the TV. It was a riveting foreign drama, and as the story unfolded, Christine had ended up lying on the couch with her head in Roan's lap. At some point during the movie, Christine became aware that Roan's hand had cupped itself around one of her breasts. She was rather surprised by this, but was uncertain as to how she should react to it. But the more she thought about it, she realized that she liked how it felt. _What's wrong with me? Am I suddenly so sex-starved that I'd hop in the sack with just anyone? _

_You know very well that Roan's not just anyone, _her conscience reminded pointedly. _You know you want it…_

Christine surprised herself by realizing that she really _didn't_ know how she felt about it. But it did feel good, and she'd just seen the love of her life in bed with another woman! Erik obviously didn't waste any time thinking any more about her once he'd struck her from his life…so why should she? It would be so easy to just let Roan help her forget about Erik…and she didn't doubt that he would love to do so. _But it's not Roan I want. I don't want to make love with him...I want to make love with Erik. _She'd always thought that Erik would be the last man she would ever be intimate with…. But if she couldn't have Erik, what difference did it make who she was with? She knew she would never love another as she had loved him…never. _So what difference did it make?_

_Monday _

_Megan was glad to be back in the school routine again. She was sure she'd gained at least five pounds over the holidays, and working out during her classes would definitely help her get back in shape. Each of her classes seemed to fly by, and by the time she met Christine in the cafeteria for lunch, realized that she'd been smiling to herself for most of the morning. New Year's Eve with Amir had been amazing, and making love under the stars amidst fireworks in a beautiful secret garden had been the most romantic setting she could ever have imagined._

"I take it you had a good New Year's?" Christine asked as Megan took the seat across from her.

Megan could only grin. "It was _wonderful. _But how did you do over the weekend?"

Christine's pleasant façade faded and she was sure that the pain in her heart was again evident on her face for all to see. "I saw Erik and Joanna in bed together," she said softly.

_"WHAT?" _Megan said this loudly enough for several people around their table to turn and look. Megan looked around, embarrassed. "How the hell did you see that?" she asked in a loud whisper.

Christine looked down at her food as she explained softly. "After you left, I took a bath, but I wasn't sleepy, so I stayed up for awhile and thought about Occam's Razor. This whole thing was a horrible misunderstanding, so I just wanted to explain that to Erik. I went over to his apartment and let myself in with the key he gave me before the Christmas Gala. And when I went to his bedroom, he and Joanna were asleep in the bed."

Megan's eyes were wide. "Holy shit."

Christine continued. "I was about to leave when Erik heard me and woke up. I ran out of there and he chased me, but the elevator closed before he got to me. But I could hear him pounding on the doors and yelling for me." Her voice had become very soft, almost a whisper. "I drove over to Roan's and spent the night there, Sunday, too."

Megan laid her hand on Christine's arm. "Oh, Christine, I'm so sorry I couldn't have been there for you."

Christine smiled a little. "Don't be silly, you had to be with Amir that night. It's okay because Roan took good care of me. He cooked dinner and even rented some DVDs for me."

Megan seemed a little leery at the mention of Roan. "Did he try anything?"

Christine looked up at her in surprise. "Well, he fondled me while we were watching the movie, but that was all. Besides, I just saw Erik sleeping with Joanna! Why couldn't I sleep with him if I wanted to?"

Megan understood. "Well, he _is_ pretty hot, but you're just talking about sex, nothing else."

"The way I feel right now, there doesn't have to be anything else. I just want to feel good again…even if it's not real," she murmured sadly. "I'm just tired of feeling like I want to die all the time."

Megan knew that Christine's reasoning was based on what had just happened and that she'd normally never just opt to sleep with someone, but considering the freshness of her wounds, Megan knew there was nothing she could say or do that would make any difference if that was what she wanted to do. She felt sorry for Christine because of what she was going through, but she felt even sorrier for Erik. To just dump her after four years of obsessing over her…she had a strong feeling that he'd live to regret it.

_Monday evening _

Amir had spoken with Megan that afternoon and had learned about Erik and Joanna, and Christine's discovery. He'd been surprised and hurt after hearing about the entire mess, but he'd already tried to warn Erik and he hadn't listened. He was going up to his apartment now to see his friend and to perhaps help. As he walked into the apartment, he saw that Erik was lying on the couch before the fireplace, his arm slung over his face, as the flames danced merrily.

"Happy New Year," he ventured.

"Fuck you."

Amir sighed. "Erik…I heard about what happened. I'm sorry."

Erik drew his arm across his face and rubbed his hand over his eyes before looking up at him. "I always knew I'd go to Hell, but the joke was on me…I'm already there!" he grinned madly.

Amir sat on the carpeted floor facing the fireplace, his back against the couch. "What do you want to do now, mon ami? Who will it be, Joanna or Christine, or no one?"

"You mean I actually have a choice? Things must be looking up." He got up from the couch and stood, stretching as he looked into the flames. "She wouldn't have me now even if she'd wanted to come back," he said bitterly.

"There's something wrong with this picture, don't you think?" Amir asked, hoping for an in-road.

"Wrong? What could _possibly_ be wrong?" Erik asked sarcastically.

"Christine…she loves you. Why would she betray you?"

"Well, let's see…how about this mask? She knew she'd never see my face and decided she'd like to be with someone she could look at for once!"

Amir slowly shook his head…he wasn't convinced. "Why are you so sure that Roan slept with her?"

"He _knew_ things about her, and there's only one way he could've known."

Amir shook his head again. "No, there's more to it than that. You need to talk to her."

"You didn't see her face, old man, she must hate me. I can't face her now."

"So where do you go from here?"

"I don't know..." Erik remembered back to Saturday night. "I had a nice time with Joanna. She's quite intelligent, and beautiful. And later...it was like being with an angel."

"So will you continue to see her?"

Erik didn't speak for awhile, and Amir wondered if he would answer at all until he said, "Yes."


	41. Attraction

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: Thanks to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 41

Attraction

The first week of the new year went by rather quickly with the start of the new production on Monday, for in addition to the evening performances, there were also the matinees. Erik kept himself busy in his studio composing the pieces that formed in his musically prolific imagination and were driven by his emotions. It was a relatively easy thing for Amir to gauge Erik's current state of mind by listening to the pieces either as Erik played them or as he later heard them on CD.

Of late, all of Erik's new pieces had taken a dark turn, and Amir imagined them ultimately being used for a stage tragedy or for a tragic love story on the big screen. Though he composed continuously, creating music in a wide variety of genres, Amir knew that Erik would never fall behind any work schedule for there were literally hundreds of finished pieces that had never been released but were kept on disc for when the need arose. He marveled at Erik's veritable endless source of creativity and reasoned that this was true genius at work. He had asked Erik at one time if he ever ran out of ideas and was told, _"Never. Music is in everything I do. It is a part of me, and I am a part of it."_ Amir could only shake his head and conclude that that would certainly explain why Erik's music so closely mirrored his emotions, for to Erik, he and his music were one in the same.

As Amir walked down the corridor past the business offices, he wondered about Roan Richards now being with Christine, and again had that same feeling of unease, though he didn't know why, and he wondered again how everything would ultimately turn out. He didn't for a minute believe that Erik and Joanna would stay together for very long, for he knew that it was Christine Erik truly loved. No, Joanna would never be anything more than a convenience, and he dreaded the fallout and possible scandal that could result when she realized she'd been used. He knew that Erik was still hurting deeply, and based on his past, might never get over it.

Inadvertently, Amir began to think about his own relationship with Megan. If anything ever happened to them, would he be able to get over her? He was surprised to find this thought discomfiting, and he didn't like thinking about it. He hoped it would never come to pass, but if it ever did…then he'd just have to deal with it when it happened.

* * *

_Friday night_

DiamondDiva: Good evening, Erik.

EDupont: Good evening, Joanna. How are you tonight?

DiamondDiva: I'm well. I wanted to thank you again for everything, I had a wonderful time.

EDupont: I'm glad to hear it. Are you busy tomorrow evening?

DiamondDiva: I have no plans.

EDupont: Do you like Chinese?

DiamondDiva: I love Chinese.

EDupont: I'll pick you up at 8:00. Dress formally.

DiamondDiva: I look forward to it.

EDupont: I'll see you then.

DiamondDiva: Goodnight, Erik

EDupont: Goodnight, my dear.

Erik turned off his computer and sat staring at the blank screen for awhile, assessing his feelings, and found that he still didn't have any. He still felt numb, as though he were in a kind of limbo…not feeling, but just going through the motions so he'd know he was at least alive.

He thought back to the night he'd first made love to Joanna, and knew that it was just lust, pure and simple. _God, she was so beautiful, how could anyone not want to fuck her? _The first time he saw her nude form, he thought she looked like a Michael Parks angel…she was perfect. When he first uncovered her breasts, he remembered how absolutely perfect they were, her pink nipples just aching to be claimed by his mouth, and her hair spread out on his pillow like a halo. She had shaved her pubic area, but had left just a hint of darker hair as if to tease, and when he had tasted her, was amazed at her absolute sweetness, different from Christine's, but irresistible just the same. She had been wonderful in bed, and he knew he would enjoy her equally as much tonight.

He deliberately chose not to see Joanna during the week so he could have time to think about what he wanted out of this relationship, but considering his lingering numbness over Christine, realized that his only interest at this time lay only in her body. _Besides, given time, who says I can't eventually fall in love with her? _Until that time came, he intended to enjoy her to the fullest. Before Christine, it had been twelve years since he'd had a woman, and he had no intention of denying himself this pleasure now. Of course, it was not totally one-sided for he'd made sure that Joanna was totally sated before falling asleep. He had awakened the next morning in a state of arousal to find Joanna pleasuring him, and he'd gladly grabbed her and made love to her on the spot. Afterwards, they showered where he made love to her again, and she had left to return home after breakfast. By then, it was almost hard to believe that the horrendous events of the previous night had even occurred, but they had, and fucking Joanna couldn't change that, or purge it from his mind. So he did what he always did when faced with emotional upheaval: he composed, and as Amir listened to the recordings, knew how Erik was feeling as surely as if he'd read his journal, and he knew that Erik was still hurting, deeply.

He had packed away as many of Christine's reminders as he could, but he couldn't pack away the topiary, which had been a Christmas gift, for it was alive and had to be cared for. He had placed it in the alcove between the kitchen and dining room where it was able to get indirect sunlight, and as the days went by, he had even settled into a routine of checking on the topiary daily, feeding and watering it on a strict schedule to ensure its optimum health. He loved it, and by caring for it, could almost feel Christine's loving presence. Another reminder he couldn't part with was the mobile of seashells and crystals, for he and Christine had been together as she'd collected the seashells and sand dollars on the shore of the island. It hung in the living room by a window, and when the window was open, he would hear it tinkling gently in the breeze and remember Christine's words: _No matter where I am, whenever you hear it, you'll know that I'm thinking of you and that I love you…. _As he listened to it now, the aching in his heart was exquisite, and he wondered if he would be damned to long for her for the rest of his life…

* * *

SeraphM: Hi there, sweetheart. 

AriaMaven: Hi, Roan. How's it going?

SeraphM: Not bad. And you? How's it feel being back in school?

AriaMaven: It was good to be back. It kept my mind busy. How was work?

SeraphM: It's been a long week. TGIF! Want to get together tomorrow night?

AriaMaven: Sure, what did you have in mind?

SeraphM: How about another movie night at my place? And you can spend the night 'cause I've got two bedrooms. Seven o'clock?

AriaMaven: All right, sounds like a plan! Want me to bring anything?

SeraphM: Just yourself, beautiful.

AriaMaven: snort Thanks. See you tomorrow!

SeraphM: Goodnight, babe.

Christine closed down her computer and smiled. She felt herself lucky to have a friend such as Roan. He'd been very attentive to her all week and had either called or IM'd her every day to check on her and make sure she was all right. On Wednesday night he'd even brought over some flowers to keep her cheered in case she slipped into sadness again.

She was looking forward to seeing Roan tomorrow night. Her conversations with him on the phone throughout the week had helped her keep her sanity when she thought she'd go mad in her grief. She was still sorely tempted to bring out Erik's reminders and look at them or keep them with her, but she knew that it wouldn't do anything but prolong her pain. The only reminders she kept visible were the erotic figurines on her bookshelf, but that was only because of their history. Erik had purchased them from her, and she had to smile even now whenever she thought about how embarrassed she'd been at the time. Precious memories…

She went to bed shortly thereafter and had a restless night's sleep. When she awoke the next morning, she had a strange feeling of unease that she was certain had to do with the dream she'd had, although it was fading as fast as she tried to remember it, except for vague snippets here and there. All she knew for certain was that it had to do with losing something important…

* * *

_Dear Mama and Papa,_

_Thank you very much for the CARE package which I received yesterday. I've missed so much the cookies and chocolates from the corner store as well as the other treats you've sent. The American chocolates are okay, but not like those from home. _

_I hope you've both been well, and the boys, too. I miss you and love you very much. I've been doing well and the Christmas Gala was just wonderful. I've been making very good progress at the Philharmonic and have already been advanced to second soprano! Yes, I was very surprised by how fast this happened, but now I will probably be in this position for quite awhile. _

_I've just begun dating one of the composers at the Philharmonic and his name is Erik Dupont. He is French originally. He's very brilliant and we have a very good time together. I don't have a picture of him yet, but I will send one next time. _

_I've enclosed some pictures of my apartment and my neighborhood, and also pictures of the Philharmonic and some of the people I work with. I love San Francisco! The people are very friendly and relaxed and there's so much to do and see all the time. It is very vibrant culturally and you would love it here. I've also included some gadgets that the Americans seem to enjoy and thought you would find them amusing. My favorite is the pickle plucker. No more sticking my fingers into the pickle jar! _

_I will write again soon. Take care, I love you._

_Joanna_

She looked at the picture of her family that sat on her desk as she folded her letter and stuck it in an envelope. She carefully wrote the address and her return address on the envelope before affixing the requisite postage for mailing. She loved receiving the CARE packages from home. This time, she'd received numerous treats she'd grown up with and missed, as well as magazines and newspaper articles of her hometown to help her cope with her homesickness, and in return, she'd send home samples of American foods and treats as well as People Magazines which they enjoyed immensely since it wrote about American entertainers and their lives.

She sighed as she got up from the desk and walked into her living room. She loved being in San Francisco, and singing at a Philharmonic in the United States was like a dream come true. She was dating Erik Dupont, resident composer at the Phil, and everything was wonderful. She enjoyed the time she'd spent with Erik and wondered where the relationship would lead. Her mother had always told her that she could get far wherever she went because of her beauty and her voice, and she'd seen this fulfilled throughout her life, the good and the bad. Men had always been attracted by her great beauty, and it had opened many doors for her professionally, but especially since she'd begun singing.

At the conservatory, she'd been propositioned numerous times by various professors and administrators, and over the course of four years, had bedded many of them. Out of gratitude and a desire to retain her affections, they would often present her with musical awards and favored positions in productions, which she was able to use as stepping stones in her career, although that hadn't been her intention. The awards and her history of performances looked wonderful on her resume, and she was certain that it was this that allowed her the opportunity to come to the United States to further her career. Her last benefactor had been so crushed by the news that she was leaving that he had given her a generous sum of money to help in her transition to her new home. She thanked him profusely and gave him a night he would not soon forget before he reluctantly returned home to his wife and three young children. She smiled at the memory of that night, for despite his maturity, he had been an excellent lover.

* * *

_Saturday evening_

Christine was looking forward to spending the weekend with Roan because he made sure they always had something fun to do, and even if their time together was just staying at home, she never seemed to tire of his conversation or humor. Before this, she had been of the mind that the rich were most likely a boring lot, always flitting from one social gathering to the next, but since her time with Rick, Erik, and now Roan, she'd come to appreciate that many of the rich felt a responsibility toward the community to use their wealth to better society in one way or another. She didn't believe all the rich felt this way, but was pleased that Roan evidently did.

As she drove up to the Moscone Towers, she was again impressed by the gleaming highrises in this part of town and the fact that Roan would actually live amidst such wealth. She felt humbled as she parked her car and then rode the elevator up to his floor, feeling like a mouse among giants.

When he opened the door to her, he greeted her with a broad grin and a hug as he took her overnight bag and put it in the guest room. He'd again prepared dinner, and Christine noticed the heavenly smells coming from the kitchen and dining room as they walked in, and her mouth began watering immediately.

"We're having Italian tonight," he smiled as he pulled her chair out for her at the table, and indeed everything looked wonderful. Tonight's meal consisted of veal piccata, rice pilaf with raisins and almonds, asparagus spears and grilled tomatoes, with glasses of white wine.

Christine loved everything on her plate and marveled at Roan's culinary skills. "How did you ever learn to cook like this?" she asked between mouthfuls.

"When I was small, I used to sit in the kitchen and watch our cook prepare dinner and I realized that what he did wasn't difficult, that like anything else, if you do something often enough, it becomes automatic. I learned a lot from him, but it wasn't until I moved out that I really started cooking on my own, and I'd get cookbooks that specialized in quick gourmet recipes. Cooking's my hobby, and it's what I enjoy doing."

Christine was impressed and felt honored that he'd make such sumptuous fare just for her. Apparently there was a lot more to Roan than just a pretty face.

When they finished their main meal, they cleared the dishes away and Roan brought in their dessert on a tray: a small bowl of apple crisp with vanilla ice cream. Christine was delighted, for this was one of her all time favorite desserts.

When they finished, they rinsed the dishes together and placed them in the dishwasher before retiring to the living room and settling down on the couch before the TV. Roan popped in the DVD and the movie started, and they spent the next three hours watching a psychological thriller with a surprise ending. They talked about the movie after it ended and about the possibility of such a thing happening in real life, and whereas Roan discounted the possibility, ever the pragmatist, Christine felt that all things were possible when dealing with human emotion. They both had to smile at this stalemate for they were frequently at odds when it came to interpreting the whys and wherefores of a story, but Roan appreciated Christine's well thought-out reasoning even if he didn't agree with it, and he took her hand in a gesture of truce.

After awhile, when he still had hold of her hand, Christine looked up at him questioningly, and saw that he didn't want to let it go. "Christine…" and he pulled her toward him as he leaned in toward her and placed a gentle kiss upon her lips.

Christine backed away slightly in surprise, but Roan took this moment of hesitation to bring his lips back to hers forcefully in a passionate kiss that left no doubt that he wanted her. Christine was shocked by her sudden flood of emotions as he pushed her down on the couch and spread her legs with his own as he lay on top of her. She never felt threatened by this action because Roan was her friend and she knew he would never hurt her, but this sudden attack had caught her off guard.

_"Roan…stop! Get off of me!" _And she pushed at him and turned her head from him until she was able to get his attention. When she was finally able to make him stop, he seemed to deflate, and he rested his head on her shoulder as he caught his breath.

"I-I'm sorry, Christine," he whispered. "I didn't mean to do that, but…I think you know how I feel about you," he murmured apologetically.

"I think I do," she said softly, "and I really appreciate everything you've done for me…but it's just going to take time. You understand that, don't you?"

"Yeah," he conceded. "I know…I'll still be here waiting." And he kissed her gently before getting off of her. "I think we'd better get ready for bed."

Christine retired to the guest bedroom and changed into her sleep clothes. As she lay in bed, she thought about Roan's actions tonight and wondered if she could ever think of him as more than just a friend. He'd been wonderful to her in helping her since that horrible night a week ago, and it was obvious he liked her very much. He was handsome, wealthy, kind, and seemed to be as perfect as Rick had been. Could she ever grow to love him? Only time would tell.

After Christine had gone to her room, Roan decided to take a quick shower before retiring to bed himself. The evening had been perfect until he'd stupidly lost control and pinned Christine to the couch. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _He didn't know what came over him, but he couldn't deny any longer the strong attraction he felt towards Christine whenever he was with her. He knew he would never take advantage of her or hurt her in any way, but he wondered how much longer he could last before he had to have her? As he thought this, he had taken hold of himself and had begun stroking his cock rapidly. It felt good, and as he closed his eyes and felt the hot water beat over him, he could feel the gradual buildup of his passion in the area of his groin, and when it overtook him, his hips jerked convulsively and he groaned as he pumped his penis firmly and shot his semen from his body as he thought of Christine. He groaned audibly as the last of his juices spurted out from him, and he leaned against the wall of the shower as his breathing returned to normal.

_Christine…how long are you going to make me wait? How long can I wait? _

* * *

It was a normal Saturday evening as Erik drove towards Joanna's affluent neighborhood. He again took stock of his emotional barometer as he had several times throughout the week, and he found that he still didn't feel like his normal self. Things still felt _off,_ and his date with Joanna tonight felt more like something to endure than something to look forward to, despite what he knew what would be offered after they returned home… 

When he reached her apartment, he took the elevator to her floor and walked down to her door. He hesitated, and again wondered if he really wanted to pursue a relationship with her. She'd always been kind to him and seemed to enjoy his company. She was beautiful, and surprisingly passionate and skillful in bed, yet…something was missing…

As he knocked lightly on her door, Joanna opened to him and smiled broadly. She was radiant in a beautiful red evening gown, and as she opened the door wider, he gave her a gentle kiss and hug before she gathered her evening bag and wrap and they were on their way. In the car, as jazz played softly over the speakers, Erik once again noticed Joanna's perfume and thought how wonderfully it suited her. When he'd selected Christine's perfume for Christmas, Aria, he'd thought the same thing when he'd purchased it. But he'd never had the opportunity to smell it on her….

When they arrived at the high-rise hotel that housed The Forbidden City, Erik led her into the lobby and they made their way to the glass elevators that would take them to the top of the building. Erik could tell that Joanna was enjoying this very much, but no doubt due to her family's wealth, was accustomed to such opulence, unlike Christine, who had been in awe of everything. He had to catch himself whenever he'd find himself thinking such thoughts of Christine and force himself to keep his thoughts on Joanna, for Christine was his past and Joanna was possibly his future after all…

When they alighted from the elevator and entered The Forbidden City, Erik spoke to the hostess who welcomed them graciously and handed him a small touch pad before leading them to an elegant table by the window. When they were seated, Joanna looked around the room and out the window and thought everything was just breathtaking. As Erik gazed at her, he thought she looked beautiful by candlelight, and her smile was dazzling.

"Erik, thank you for bringing me here. Everything is so beautiful," she smiled.

"I'm glad you like it. Their food is excellent, so don't be afraid to be a little adventurous."

She took this to heart as they looked at their menus, and she decided to try sea cucumbers in addition to her entrée. They ordered a number of different dishes and she enjoyed her meal very much, including the sea cucumbers. When they were finished and their plates were removed, the hostess finally returned with a small tray that carried two fortune cookies.

"Are these the fortunes that come true?" Joanna asked as she looked up at Erik.

He looked at them warily. "Yes, they come true, but not always the way you think they will."

Joanna smiled, eager to learn her fortune, and picked up one of the fortune cookies and broke it open.

Erik watched her read it and wondered what her reaction would be. She seemed somewhat confused, and held the fortune out to him to read.

_Go away._

Erik looked at it and back up at her, uncertain as to what to make of it. It could mean anything.

"What do you suppose it means?" she asked, confused.

Erik looked at it again and handed it back. "I have no idea." Knowing something about the fortunes, Erik knew that it was probably good advice, but he had no idea in what context it should be applied. Did it mean for her to leave the Phil, San Francisco, the United States?

"Are you going to open your fortune?" she asked.

Erik looked at it. Considering the way his luck had been running lately, he wasn't sure he could stand anymore cryptic foreshadowings of doom. But to keep from bring down the evening, he picked it up and slowly broke it open. He read his fortune.

_You will find what you seek above all else._

He handed it to Joanna to read. "That's good, isn't it?" She handed it back.

Erik wasn't so sure. "It's what I got the last time I was here, so I guess it means I'll still find it. Let's go."

As they left The Forbidden City, Erik found himself thinking about his fortune as he drove them back to the Phil. The first time he'd gotten that fortune, he was certain it had to do with Christine, but he'd lost her. So did this fortune mean that he would find someone else to love? Could it be Joanna? He didn't think so.

When they got back to his apartment, Erik took Joanna's hand and led her to his bedroom. He placed his car keys on the dresser and took off his tie, tossing it next to the keys. He took off his jacket and draped it neatly across the back of a chair as Joanna watched him. He approached her as he unbuttoned his cuffs and the buttons on his dress shirt and he looked at her appraisingly. She was beautiful, yes, but what did she feel for him? Surely not love…attraction perhaps? Perhaps, but not necessarily. Yet she was willing to give herself to him…

He reached up behind her and pulled out a couple hairpins, and a cascade of wavy blond hair fell onto her shoulders alluringly. He stared into her gentle blue eyes as he slowly ran his hand through her hair, and he saw that she gazed back up at him expectantly. He grabbed her hair roughly as she gasped in surprise, and his lips crashed down onto hers as he took her tightly in his arms. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and kissed her roughly, and then began to kiss, suck, and nip at her neck and shoulders as she cried out. He quickly began to undo the fastenings of her gown and undergarments until she was naked before him, and he quickly removed the rest of his clothing, leaving them carelessly strewn on the floor.

As he pushed her onto the bed, he found her to be just as aggressive sexually as he, and she was able to pleasure him as well in return. Erik had pleasured her to orgasm and she had responded with rapturous abandon, yet now, as he thrust rapidly and violently into her, even he didn't realize that his fucking was born of anger. He soon orgasmed and pounded into her forcefully…angrily... He was angry because she wasn't Christine…

They soon fell asleep side by side covered in a light sheen of perspiration.

* * *

_"Hey, handsome, wake up," a voice whispered softly._

_Erik slowly stirred and opened his eyes. Everything was quiet and he'd had one of the most restful night's sleep of his life. As he turned towards the voice, he saw Christine next to him propped up on her elbow, looking at him with a slight smile on her face. _

_"What are you doing here?" he asked confused. I must be dreaming, he thought._

_"Excuse me?" she responded, amused. "We are married, after all. I'm supposed to be here." _

_Married? They were married? When did this happen? _

_"We're married?" he asked, still confused._

_Christine was ready to get up. "Hello! Not only are we married, mister, but our children will be up soon demanding breakfast, so I'm on my way to the kitchen." _

_Children? Erik grabbed her back into the bed and hugged her as she squeaked. _

_"What's the matter with you? I've got to make breakfast!"_

_Erik held her tightly as he buried his face in her hair. Christine was back! And they were married and had children! He began to sob quietly and his shoulders shook. _

_"Erik, what's wrong?" Christine asked, concerned._

_"Nothing, my love," he whispered. "I just love you so much, Christine." _

_Just then, the bedroom door flew open and a couple bundles of energy leaped onto the bed next to them. _

_"Mommy! Daddy! We're hungry! Pancakes…you promised!" _

_Erik looked up and saw two beautiful children, a boy and a girl, bouncing happily on the bed. He knew their names were Antoinette and Erik, Jr. He grinned broadly at them as he gathered them up in his arms and hugged them tightly. He loved them deeply, and remembered that this was his family…something he never thought he'd have._

_"Why don't you try to get some more sleep, baby?" Christine suggested. "You stayed up late last night composing, so I know you must still be tired." _

_"Thank you, cherie, I'll do that. And I'll see you two little munchkins later," he smiled to his children. _

_As Christine took the children out of the room, he laid back in bed and thought about his life and how happy he was… _

As Erik slept, a small smile could be seen on his lips, and a tear traced its way down the side of his face.


	42. Never Say Never

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thanks to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 42

Never Say Never

_January 14, __Friday evening_

It was a mellow evening and Erik was at home alone with Anubis. The lights were dimmed and a blaze was burning in the fireplace. He had soft music playing in the background, and everything was geared towards relaxation. The new production was in full swing and had received excellent reviews in the papers. His part in it was done, so he'd spent his time composing sound tracks, and now he was done for the week. He deserved his rest.

He'd seen Joanna off and on during the production and occasionally had met with her for lunch during the week. She was always charming and kind, and he did enjoy her company, but he didn't want to make her a fixture in his life too quickly, although he was certain she would have jumped at the chance. After two weeks, he found that he was still somewhat numb over Christine's departure from his life, and wondered if he would always be so. Of course, Joanna had been somewhat of a comfort to him, but then he would remember that horrible night when Christine had seen them in his bed. He would never forget it.

He'd had a few drinks as he sat before the fire and was starting in on his fourth when he got up and wandered into his bedroom. He decided to open up the wall safe that was hidden behind a large picture next to the fireplace and look at what lay within. A large, attractively bound leather volume was what he removed, and on the cover was inscribed in gold Edwardian script with flourishes: Dupont.

He brought it over to the bed with him and set his glass on the nightstand on a convenient coaster. The album wasn't finished, but he'd prepared it in hopes of presenting it to Christine on their first anniversary, which would have been in time for the next Bal Masque. He opened it reverently, and on the inside cover was his dedication to her in gold script: _To my Christine, the Love of my Life and my Angel of Music, Eternally, Erik._

Anubis hopped up onto the bed and pushed her head under his hand, a clear indication that she wanted attention. He scratched her behind her ears gently as she purred happily, and when he stopped, she meowed softly as though aware of his sadness.

As he opened the pages, there were pictures of Christine and himself, together and singly, mounted chronologically from their first date at the Bal Masque to the last photographs he'd taken of her in suggestive poses. It was like looking at a diorama of their brief time together, and he found that his favorite photograph was still the one of them together in the hammock on the island. By the time he'd finished looking at the last page of the album, his face was wet with tears.

Before replacing the album in the wall safe, he reached into it again and brought out something he was grateful for having had the insight to conceal…his salvation. He placed the album in the safe and then closed it, replacing the picture in front of it and then preparing himself for euphoria. He wouldn't make the same mistake he had before of passing out before sitting down. No, this time he would be seated before injecting himself…

It was just early evening, but he was looking forward to the feelings of ecstasy that were just moments away. He walked back into the living room and settled himself on his favorite couch before the fireplace. Once settled, he rolled up his sleeve and took the rubber tie and wrapped it easily around his upper arm. He fitted the sterile needle into the syringe and then filled it with the drug, though in a lesser dosage than last time, for he wanted to remain awake and feel the effects, not fall asleep from it. He made a fist until he found a suitable vein, and then slowly injected himself and felt the initial burning sensation. He felt the effects immediately, and he closed his eyes as the familiar feelings again welcomed him with open arms. He withdrew the needle when it was emptied and set it on the coffee table before the couch along with the rubber tie. He sat back on the couch comfortably and reveled in the wonderful feelings now coursing through his mind and body.

Yes…absolutely no pain at all…

* * *

Roan had been waiting for this night all week long, and after working so hard on the latest projects, felt he'd earned his reward. He stood before his dresser mirror straightening his tie, and had to admit that he looked very nice. He was planning on taking them to a new club in town and then would bring her back home to his apartment after wining and dining her. 

He was to pick her up at 8:00, and he pulled up before her apartment with time to spare. After checking himself in his rearview mirror one last time, he got out and walked up to her apartment and knocked lightly.

She answered after a few seconds. "Hi, I'm ready!"

Roan beamed at her, pleased with her appearance. Her hair was very stylishly fashioned and she wore a very low-cut halter top and skin tight pants with a slight flare, and high heeled boots. He'd have to control himself lest he give away the effect she was already having upon him. "You look incredible, Hillary," he murmured as he kissed her, and she grabbed her purse and coat before stepping out of her apartment to lock the door, and he led her down the stairs.

* * *

"Mmm-mm, this is wonderful!" Megan murmured luxuriously as she leaned her head back. "I don't know how I ever did without one of these." The steam from the hot tub wafted slowly around them, and the pulsating bubbles eased away whatever muscle ache and tension had existed in her body after a week of dance rehearsals. 

Amir smiled at her relaxed repose. She allowed her body to float in the water as she hung onto the sides, and he found that he could never tire of looking at her. "I'm glad you're enjoying it, cherie. You're welcome to come by any time to use it if you wish."

He moved himself from the edge of the hot tub until he was in front of her, and as her eyes were closed, moved her legs apart suddenly and began to ravish her hungrily, causing her to shriek in surprise and almost let go of the sides.

"Amir!" she squealed as she brought her legs to rest on his shoulders. "What do you think you're doing!"

"I know exactly what _I'm_ doing, you wanton woman, but you should know better than to display yourself in such a manner and not expect _some_ repercussion," he scolded playfully. He continued his ravishing and soon began to feel her body begin to tremble ominously. He stood and quickly impaled her as she cried out, thrashing powerfully in the water as he held her, pumping quickly, his own orgasm approaching and finally overtaking his senses…

It had been a deliriously wonderful climax, and Megan could only smile as her eyes remained closed and she lay back in the hot, turbulent waters. She could feel Amir still connected to her, and she loved the feel of him slowly continuing to rub against her. It felt wonderful…and she felt complete. He leaned over her and began to suckle her nipples, and she placed her arms around him as she finally stood and they embraced, kissing deeply because of what each felt in their heart yet would not speak of…

When they left the hot tub, they both dried off with a towel and Megan wrapped her hair in another as they walked back into the apartment and took a quick shower together. When they were done, they went into the kitchen and prepared a platter of bruschetta on slices of baguette. Amir poured a couple flutes of champagne and they went to recline on the furry rug in front of the fireplace as they placed the tray on the hearth.

Megan loved their casual nights together in Amir's apartment and looked forward to the day she would one day hopefully be working at the Phil alongside him. She'd had boyfriends before, of course, but never one that she enjoyed being with as much and who completed her so fully in every way. The warmth from the fireplace, the mellow jazz playing in the background, and their spread before them made for a perfect evening.

"How's Christine doing?" Amir asked as he took a sip of champagne.

Megan laid on her back and gazed into the fire. "She's taking it one day at a time. Roan's comforting her. How's Erik?"

"About the same. Still pining."

Megan looked confused. "Pining? Why would he be pining? He threw her out!"

"Well, he obviously still loves her."

"But if he loves her, then why did he sleep with Joanna?"

"Because he's a man, my dear, and Joanna's quite beautiful. Can you imagine any single man in their right mind refusing her if she's offering?"

Megan thought about it and had to admit that it was unlikely. She picked up a slice of bruschetta. "So then why is he still dating her if he's still in love with Christine?"

"I think Erik dating Joanna is just a matter of convenience, and I doubt if he'll date her for very long. Christine saw them in bed together, so he believes she hates him now and wouldn't want anything more to do with him. Can you blame him?" He took a sip from his glass.

Megan took a sip from her own glass. "Can you blame _her?" _

Amir looked at her and had to concede, "Perhaps not."

She thought it sounded so tragic. "Do you think they'll ever find each other again?"

Amir nibbled his bruschetta. "If it's one thing I've learned in this life, my dear, it's to never say never."

* * *

Roan lay awake in his bed, looking up at the ceiling, thinking. It had been a fun night going out to eat and then dancing with Hillary. He looked over at her in bed next to him and had to appreciate her beauty and willingness after he'd brought her home. He'd be seeing Christine tomorrow night for the Chinese New Year celebration, but doubted she'd be ready to sleep with him anytime soon, so this had been his only alternative. He wondered how long he'd have to wait before Christine felt they were close enough to sleep together. At the rate they were going, it could be months. _Good thing I kept my little black book _he thought. 

He closed his eyes and sighed. He'd wait for Christine as long as necessary…she was definitely worth it. Aside from her natural sweetness and sense of humor, he could sense an inherent goodness about her that he found rare, judging by the number of women he'd known in his life, and he loved her personality. She was principled, she had scruples and values…and she was even beautiful. _Erik Dupont must be a fool to let her go. He has to know he made a mistake. He'll probably wake up one day and try to get her back. If he does, I'll be ready for him..._

_

* * *

Saturday, January 15, Chinese New Year _

Christine couldn't believe it had been two weeks since that horrible night when she'd seen Erik with Joanna in bed and had run to Roan for solace. He'd been kind and attentive to her needs, and he'd called or IM'd her every day for the last two weeks to remind her of his friendship and support, as had Megan when she saw her at school. If not for them, she felt she surely would have gone mad.

This was the last day of the Chinese New Year celebration, and Roan had invited her to watch the Dragon Parade which would wind down the main streets in Chinatown for a couple miles and would begin at 9:00 p.m. It would be great fun with firecrackers and instruments following the dragon along its path through the city, and a great turnout was expected.

Christine was finishing up some homework on her laptop and switched to the internet to catch up on the news when she noticed her buddy list automatically pop up. Erik was online. Even seeing his name and knowing he was on the computer at this very moment was painful.

She wondered if he was actually at his computer or if it was just turned on. _I wonder if he's got a buddy list?...Somehow I can't imagine Erik Dupont with a buddy list. _She hit the cancel button to hide her list and continued reading the online news…

* * *

Erik had been doing some online research when a tone sounded notifying him that someone on his buddy list had just signed on. It was Christine. _How easy it'd be to send her an instant message and talk to her._

"Darling, dinner's almost ready. It'll be about another five minutes." Joanna came over and placed her hand on his shoulder as she glanced at his monitor. "Anything interesting in the news?" she asked.

"No, just the usual thing…murder and mayhem, politics…" When she didn't say anything, Erik glanced up and noticed that she was looking at his buddy list. He hit the cancel button to hide it before asking, "Are you all right?"

"Yes, of course." She removed her hand from his shoulder and returned to the kitchen.

Erik sighed deeply as he thought about his place with Joanna. They were dating now, but he couldn't say that his feelings had changed from the first time he'd taken her to dinner at Gaston's. It had been two weeks since he'd last seen Christine, and he was still numb. How long would this go on?

* * *

It was a little after 9:00 when Roan knocked on Christine's door and they made their way down the street to find a spot where they could see the dragon going by. Traffic in that part of the city was heavy, and it had been near impossible for Roan to find parking even with the paid parking lots that suddenly sprang up just for the occasion. By the time they'd found a spot to watch the dragon's steady progress, it was 9:30 and both sides of the street were packed with Chinese locals, tourists, and everyone else, including news crews from the local stations. Flashbulbs and sparklers could be seen amongst the crowd, and occasionally firecrackers could be heard going off as part of the celebration, the pungent smell of gunpowder momentarily lingering in the air. 

It was a gay, carnival-like atmosphere, and although Christine had seen the parade many times, she was always excited by the activity that surrounding them. It was about fifteen minutes before the dragon approached their area, and as it neared, there was a palpable excitement in the air as the dragon was preceded by revelers with instruments, and sparklers and the noise from drums, cymbals and gongs whipped everyone into a state of keen anticipation. When the dragon neared, there was much fanfare and cheering as smoke spewed from its colorful nostrils and trailed into the crowds, and children screamed as the dragon would dip and sway in playful attack. Its body was at least thirty feet in length, and the revelers making up the body and tail were also quite active underneath yards and yards of colorful fabric decorated with ribbons and tassels.

It was such a joyous scene, and Roan held Christine's hand as the dragon passed in front of them. The noise from the revelers was considerable, adding to the excitement, and the steam from the dragon's nostrils momentarily obscured the view sufficiently to where there was just a wall of white. As it cleared, they watched the remainder of the dragon pass when Christine suddenly felt herself being stared at. She looked out across the wide street when she saw Erik and Joanna directly across from them. Joanna had her arms around Erik and wasn't looking at them, but Erik stood frozen, staring directly at her. Christine froze as she stared in return. Time stood still as they shared a lifetime in their gaze, though it couldn't have been for more than a few seconds. But the moment passed when Roan pulled at Christine to go, and when she looked up again, saw that Erik and Joanna had already disappeared into the crowd. She was shaken, for she hadn't expected to see him, but now, thoughts of him filled her mind.

She was silent as they walked down the sidewalk back toward her apartment, but the familiar pain in her heart was back. Roan held her hand tightly as he led them deftly through the crowd, but stopped once to purchase a brightly colored Chinese trinket on a stick from a street vendor and gave it to Christine as a memento of their happy evening. Roan stayed and visited with her for about an hour after they'd returned to her apartment before finally taking his leave.

As Christine changed out of her clothes and prepared for bed, she thought about Erik. That was the first time she'd seen him in two weeks, and he seemed as shocked as she'd been when he saw her. _He was with Joanna, and she had her arms around him, so they're still together. Of course he's still with her…why wouldn't he want to be in the arms of a gorgeous blonde soprano?_

Christine angrily strode to the bathroom to brush her teeth and became angrier the more she thought about it. _It's all so unfair! I didn't DO anything, yet he threw me away and then took up with Joanna! He wouldn't even listen to me! _

When she finished brushing, she settled herself in bed and stared at the dark ceiling.

_He accused me of being with Roan, and then told me to go back to him. Roan's been there for me through this whole mess. He's been there for me every day for the last two weeks... Yes, it's Roan who's been with me..._

Christine was soon sound asleep. In minutes, she began to dream about a sprite who was dressed in a beautifully iridescent silver gown. She was a mischievous but kind fairy who held sway over all their lives, unbeknownst to anyone. As she waved her wand over all she surveyed, beautiful silvery filaments would spread out from its tip and connect with everyone she knew. The silvery threads took on a life of their own when she lifted her wand, and they would intersect with other threads and take twists and turns with others and singly. The threads eventually returned to her wand, but before they disappeared, she explained, _"These are your lives. Never will there be a straight path, for you will experience all of life, the beautiful and the profane, before you return to me. Live, and be happy."_

_

* * *

Sunday _

Christine had spent most of her day cleaning house, doing laundry, and going grocery shopping. When she returned, she decided to go downstairs to the gift shop and see if she could find an appropriate gift for Roan to thank him for his hospitality and kindness over the last two weeks.

When she walked into the store, the chimes sounded gaily and she made her way over to the porcelain displays. She couldn't afford anything too extravagant, so tried to keep her eyes on the smaller pieces.

"Christine Karlsson! Fancy seeing you here!" came a cheerful voice approaching her from the left.

When Christine looked up, she was surprised to see Evan Fong walking towards her. "Evan, what a surprise! Good to see you again," she smiled broadly. "What's a medical student doing tending shop on a Sunday?"

"I'm helping Grandma just for today, and I'll be a medical student in the fall, thanks to Erik," he explained.

Christine's smile faltered momentarily. "What do you mean?"

"He never mentioned it to you? I guess he wouldn't," he smiled. "He's been paying for my college ever since I graduated from high school, and he's going to pay for medical school until I become a doctor. I told him he didn't have to, but he said he wanted to after we patched him up after he got mugged. He was in pretty bad shape."

"Is that so?" Christine murmured. "Um, I was looking for a gift for a male friend. Could you suggest something appropriate?"

Evan led her to the back, near the counter, and he showed her music boxes and jewelry cases that appeared more masculine, as well as decorative porcelain dishes and bowls. As he described the various pieces, Christine selected an attractive wooden music box when the door chimes sounded and another shopper walked in. Evan excused himself to assist this new customer and she could hear him ask, "Can I help you find anything?"

A woman replied, "Yes, I was looking for some nude figurines for a friend."

Christine recognized the voice immediately and turned around. It was Joanna! Her first impulse was to leave the store immediately and hope Joanna didn't see her. But then, as she recalled the night before, she could feel herself becoming angry all over again, and decided to stay.

Evan led her over to the small glass case with the figurines. Joanna quickly looked over the selection and then picked out a pair. As Evan handed them to her, she commented on how charming they were as she disengaged them and looked at their anatomical correctness. Christine snorted softly to herself as she watched. Joanna fitted them back together and handed them back to Evan with a smile. "I'll take these."

As Evan and Joanna approached the counter, Christine turned toward her. Joanna appeared surprised to see her and seemed to be debating on whether to say something to her or not. She finally decided to strike up a conversation and said cordially, "How are you, Christine? Did you have a nice holiday?"

Christine smiled sweetly. "Just wonderful, thank you."

Joanna returned her smile, but said nothing.

Christine continued, "I should congratulate you."

Joanna turned to her. "Pardon?"

Christine smiled, "On your singing that night. I should have congratulated you."

Joanna smiled, relieved. "Oh, thank you."

"You've come a long way in a short time."

"I think I've just been lucky," she responded modestly.

"I don't think I'd call it luck." Christine placed her music box on the counter.

Joanna looked at her uncertainly. "What would you call it, Christine?"

"Talent. I mean, not everybody has your kind of talent after all."

Evan had wrapped Joanna's purchase for her, and after paying for it, she took the package from him. She nodded toward Christine and said goodbye before uneasily leaving the store.

As they both watched her leave, Evan turned to Christine and asked in surprise, "Now what was _that_ all about?"

Christine paid for her purchase. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

* * *

"Just four more months till graduation and they turn us loose on the world! Are you nervous yet?" Megan asked gaily. 

"Nervous? I haven't even had time to think about graduation with everything that's been happening." Christine was trying to eat her hot dog as they sat at the benches in Golden Gate Park. The day was clear, although still a bit chilly, but sitting here amidst the trees and grass for as far as the eye could see, if one looked in the right direction, was calming. Christine loved coming here and had done so since she was a child. Whenever she needed to think through her problems, walking along the trails here had always helped.

"Will you still audition for the Phil when you graduate?" Megan asked quietly between French fries.

Christine sighed. "Of course. Just because my ex-boyfriend, his new girlfriend, and his best friend are there doesn't mean I still won't try to audition. I mean, a lot can happen in four months, right? Besides, if they _don't_ hire me, I guess I can always audition somewhere else, like Los Angeles, or Seattle…"

Megan looked away for awhile, thinking, before she said anything. "He still loves you, you know."

"Who?"

"Erik. He still loves you."

Christine looked at her flatly. "Right, and that's why he's still dating Joanna."

"I think he's just keeping her around for the sex."

Christine took a sip of her soda and smiled slightly. "For the sex, right. Of course."

Somehow, this conversation wasn't going the way Megan had hoped. "Christine, I'm not saying I know everything that's happened, but I do believe he still love you…Amir thinks he does."

Christine felt herself becoming irritated. "If he still loves me, then why won't he tell me?"

"Well, after seeing him in bed with Joanna, he probably thinks you hate him."

This was too much. "So you're saying that even though he still loves me, he's dating Joanna for sex because he thinks I hate him, and so he doesn't want to talk to me."

Megan had to admit it did sound lame, but that was pretty much it in a nutshell. Deflated, she could only say, "Right."

She watched Christine slowly put her food down and place the remains back in the wrapper. She stood and threw her trash in a nearby waste bin, but before coming back to their table, looked skyward and stretched. Megan also wrapped what was left of her hot dog and threw it away, and they began to slowly walk through the park again toward their cars. Megan wondered what was on Christine's mind.

"So what do you think, hon?"

Christine thought before answering. "Occam's Razor, remember? The simplest answer. It doesn't matter if Erik still loves me or not…he's with Joanna. End of story. Roan's in my life now, and he has been for the last two weeks, every day, in one way or another. End of story."

Megan had to admire Christine's reasoning although she didn't agree with it, and had a vague feeling of discontent with the possibility of having created a monster in stressing Occam's Razor. She had faith in Amir's observation that Erik was still in love with Christine, but unless he acted soon, she feared he would be too late.


	43. Joanna

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: Thanks to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology.

Chapter 43

Joanna

_January 16, Monday_

The cast was assembling back stage an hour before their first evening performance of the week when Amir noticed Joanna coming from the direction of the practice rooms again before joining the rest of the cast. _Does she warm up and practice here before each performance? _Although he was certain all the singers warmed up before they went on stage, they usually did so before they arrived at the Phil, except for the lead singers, who used the practice rooms. _But Joanna is just part of the chorus. _He wondered how much practice she got in during the week.

Amir was glad he didn't have to conduct any of the performances himself. As the musical director, he was able to delegate that to the other conductors on staff who were quite capable, while he was free to watch the performance from the balcony with a critical eye. The evening's performance went off flawlessly and the audience was duly impressed with Victoria's singing in the lead role and the rest of the cast's performance. The tragic love story was an eternal theme, and many from the audience could be seen dabbing their eyes as they left the theatre.

Amir was very familiar with the abilities of his cast and could always tell when there was any change in their voices. He could hear Joanna singing her part with the chorus and was able to detect some improvement from just the week before. He wondered if she was taking singing lessons, and if so, how often she practiced. When he saw her backstage after the show, he approached her as she was preparing to leave.

"Ms. Koell, I wanted to commend you on your singing this evening. You sounded very good. I was wondering if you were taking singing lessons?"

Joanna looked surprised to be singled out, but seemed happy for his recognition. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I'm taking private lessons from one of the teachers from the Conservatory."

"Well, apparently it's working because I could hear the difference. Good job," he smiled.

"Thank you, Mr. Khan," she beamed, and she turned to go.

Amir walked back to his office and imagined where Joanna could be a year from now if she continued to progress. _At this rate, she could even replace Victoria…_

* * *

DiamondDiva: Good evening, Erik. 

EDupont: Good evening, Joanna. Did you enjoy the parade last night?

DiamondDiva: Yes, I loved it! Thank you for taking me to see it.

EDupont: You're quite welcome, my dear.

DiamondDiva: Did you have plans for tomorrow evening?

EDupont: Not really, but I'd hoped to stay in this week. Why do you ask?

DiamondDiva: I wanted to know if you'd like to come over for dinner. I feel like celebrating.

EDupont: What are we celebrating?

DiamondDiva: Mr. Khan commended my singing this evening, and that's the first time he's done that since moving me up to second soprano.

EDupont: You're right to feel flattered. He has a very good ear and doesn't give compliments easily.

DiamondDiva: So will you come for dinner tomorrow?

EDupont: Well, I can hardly refuse a future diva, now can I?

DiamondDiva: Wonderful! I'll see you at 5:30. Goodnight.

EDupont: Goodnight, Joanna.

Erik turned off his computer. He was pleased to hear that Amir was recognizing Joanna's talent. Though not as skilled as Christine, he still thought that she was a fine addition to the Phil's lineup of sopranos.

Joanna had spent the night with him after the parade Saturday night, but their love-making had been less than satisfactory. After they'd gone to bed, he'd been content to just hold her and fall asleep, but she'd apparently been ready for more and had been quite disappointed not to get it. He was able to satisfy her nonetheless by manually stimulating her, but he could tell that she was miffed. Was he tiring of her ready availability, or was it due to seeing Christine again? Perhaps he would find out tomorrow night.

_

* * *

Tuesday evening _

Dinner at Joanna's apartment was a very pleasant affair. She'd prepared a light dinner since she had the performance later that evening, but everything was wonderful nonetheless. Erik appreciated that her apartment was a relaxed sanctuary considering the hustle-bustle of the theater business they were in. After dinner, Joanna made quick work of the dishes as she placed them in the dishwasher. They still had about an hour before they needed to go to the Phil, so Joanna poured a couple cups of tea as they retired to the living room to relax.

There was soft music playing in the background as they sat comfortably on the couch before her small fireplace, and as Erik looked around the living room, he noticed the framed photographs atop her mantle. He stood to go look at them closer, and as he moved from one photograph to the next, Joanna explained who the people in the pictures were. She had an attractive family, and he saw that her mother and father looked to be in their fifties, and her three brothers were all in their twenties and quite handsome with blonde hair.

"Did you have a boyfriend when you lived in Vienna?" he asked as he returned to the couch.

Joanna went to sit by him. "Yes, I did. His name was Peter."

"Do you miss him?"

"No, not really," she sighed.

"Why not?"

"Because his life was there and he knew I had to move in order to go on with my career."

"You're very dedicated."

Joanna nodded. "I try to be, but I only hope that if I meet someone special that I'll still be able to sing opera."

"So you would place love over your career?" he asked curiously.

"Of course. Genuine love is extremely rare and precious. Only a fool would let it go."

Erik nodded and stared into the fire as he thought about this…

_

* * *

Thursday _

Joanna was grateful for the advice that Amir would impart to her on occasion during the breaks to help her improve her singing or presentation during her performance, and she would try to put his suggestions to work by applying them the very next time she appeared on stage. Amir noticed when she would do this and was pleased to see that his advice did indeed improve her performance.

As the musical director, he was glad Joanna took her craft seriously and was always striving to improve on it by working hard. It was a sad truth that most of the performers didn't work hard at it, but instead, took their talent for granted rather than pushing it towards excellence. He was sure many in the cast could be great if they pushed themselves, but they either didn't realize their potential or they just didn't care. But he was glad to see that Joanna did indeed push herself for her voice was beautiful, and with her own natural beauty, he could imagine her one day becoming a world-class diva.

The matinees took place just four nights a week, from Thursday through Sunday, and with the staff conductors directing the performances, Amir was thankful his evenings were free to spend with Megan. They relaxed at home during the week since they would both be tired from work or school, but their weekends together usually involved some activity.

Megan had prepared a light dinner this evening of Chinese chicken salad, which Amir just loved, after which they relaxed on the couch together to watch a rented movie.

"What do you think about visiting the aquarium this weekend?" Amir asked suddenly.

"I'd love to…I haven't been there in years." She knew that Amir loved taking in the tourist attractions like she did, but the aquarium was on the cutting edge of marine exploration since they were close to the Monterey Trench, and that was something they both had an interest in.

"Good, then I'd like you to make some more of that Chinese chicken salad to take with us. I know of a great place for a picnic."

Megan smiled and snuggled close to him as they watched their movie. The last few months had not only been her happiest, but also the most fun she'd ever had in her life.

_

* * *

Friday _

The production would continue for another couple months before changing, and rehearsals for the new production would start soon. Amir held a tight rein over the cast and crew and was pleased with everyone's performance and cooperation. After each show, as everyone either prepared to go home or take a break, he noticed that Joanna would look for Erik, although he seldom came down to watch any more. He wondered if Erik had tired of her.

He was putting away some paperwork and was about to return to his office when he saw Joanna backstage. He walked over to her to offer some encouragement. "Your singing is getting better every day. I've been very pleased with your progress."

"Thank you, Mr. Khan. I've been trying," she smiled faintly.

He wondered if she was all right, for instead of her usual sincere smile, she seemed somewhat sad this evening. "Are you all right, Joanna?" he asked gently.

That did it. She'd been doing just fine when everyone had left her alone, but this one question brought up emotions she'd been fighting to control all day, and her face crumpled as she lowered her head and began to sob.

Amir didn't know what to think, but he tried to comfort her as well as he could. "Joanna, what's wrong? Would you like to talk about it?"

She covered her mouth for she was embarrassed to be crying in front of her employer, but she couldn't help it. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. Khan, it's just something personal. I don't want to bother you with it."

"Joanna, I'm here for all of the members in the cast and crew if there's ever anything you need to talk about. I don't want you to ever feel you can't talk to me about something if you need to," he said kindly. "I know that you came to this country alone to join us, and I feel a responsibility to make sure you're all right while you're here. You know where my office is, so I want you to feel free to stop in and see me any time you need to. Here…" He handed her his business card. "I know that sometimes it's difficult to talk about certain things face to face when you don't know someone well, so if you want, you can call or email me."

Joanna took the card and saw that it had his phone number and email address on it. "Thank you, Mr. Khan, I really appreciate it."

"You can call me Amir. Goodnight, Joanna," he smiled gently.

"Goodnight."

* * *

When she got home that night, Joanna turned on her computer so she could add Amir's name to her buddy list. She looked at his card and wondered about his screen name and whether there was some significance attached to it: AK1000. _Hmm…it almost sounds like a weapon_ she thought, and she laughed to herself at such an absurd notion. 

When Amir's name was added to her buddy list, she called it up to see if it worked, but he apparently wasn't online at the moment. But Erik was. She debated with herself as to whether she should IM him. It had been a couple days since she'd spoken with him, and then a few days before that, and when she did see him, he seemed more reticent than usual. She had an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach that he was getting tired of her and would soon stop calling altogether. This was something new to her for men had always sought her out. When she would end one relationship, there was always another waiting for her, but it was always she who ended it, and never the other way around.

She wondered why he would pull away from her. _He sought me out like I knew he would, and we have such a great time when we're together. He's not always underfoot like the others were…I only see him from time to time. He's certainly the best lover I've ever had, and for the first time, I'm starting to have feelings for someone… This can't end before it's even had a chance to start! Is he still in love with Christine Karlsson? _

She had a sinking feeling as she pondered this and felt she'd best face it head on. She typed in his screen name.

DiamondDiva: Good evening, Erik.

After a few moments, she received a reply.

EDupont: Good evening, Joanna. How are you?

DiamondDiva: I've been well, but I've been worried about you.

EDupont: Worried? Why would you be worried about me?

DiamondDiva: I haven't seen you in a few days, and the last time I saw you, you seemed preoccupied. I fear you may be losing interest in me.

EDupont: I'm sorry, my dear, but I've been very busy.

DiamondDiva: If you were losing interest, you would tell me, wouldn't you?

EDupont: I believe I would have to.

DiamondDiva: Would you like to get together tonight?

EDupont: No, not tonight.

DiamondDiva: When would be a good time for you?

EDupont: I don't know right now. I'll have to call you.

DiamondDiva: All right. I miss you.

EDupont: Goodnight, cherie.

DiamondDiva: Goodnight, Erik.

Erik closed the IM window, but sat staring at the screen for awhile. He actually could have gotten together with Joanna tonight for he enjoyed having her there at home with him. He liked their quiet times when they'd watch a movie together on the couch. As they laid there together, he would frequently fondle her or she would fondle him, and then after the movie they would eventually get around to making love.

He sighed. He really enjoyed making love to her, but what good was it? It satisfied his urges, but he would still be left with a feeling of emptiness. He ran his hands through his hair and started to pace. Anubis looked on from the kitchen. The tone sounded again to let him know another IM had been sent. _Joanna…now what does she want?_

AK1000: Erik, are you there?

EDupont: Why are you IMing me?

AK1000: Fine way to greet an old friend.

EDupont: What can I do for you, old man?

AK1000: How are you doing, Erik?

EDupont: You IM'd me to ask me how I was doing?

AK1000: Yes. How are you?

Erik didn't reply immediately and Amir wondered if he would.

EDupont: I'm fine. What do you want?

AK1000: You seem grumpy tonight. I haven't seen you for a few days and I just wanted to know how things were going when I saw you online.

EDupont: You could have come upstairs, or don't you make house calls anymore?

AK1000: How's it going with Joanna?

EDupont: Great, why do you ask?

AK1000: I saw her crying backstage today and I just wondered if you might know what might have been the problem.

EDupont: No idea.

AK1000: I understand Christine's still in love with you.

Erik froze. After a few seconds, he responded.

EDupont: Excuse me?

AK1000: Christine still loves you.

He was shocked, not by the news, but by the fact that Amir would tell him such a thing.

EDupont: Why are you telling me this?

AK1000: I thought you might like to know. Correct me if I'm wrong.

He didn't respond immediately, but Amir imagined Erik going through something akin to a short circuit.

AK1000: Erik, are you there?

Amir heard his phone ring in the other room. He got up from his desk and went to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Let me make one thing perfectly clear." It was Erik, and he was livid.

"What is it?"

_"If you ever mention Christine's name to me again, you will never again be welcome in my home. Do you understand me?"_

"Of course."

Erik hung up.

Amir stood there holding the receiver for a bit before he put it back in the cradle. _Erik is definitely a horse of a different breed. Why was he so angry? _

* * *

Erik slammed the phone down as he hung up. He ran his hands through his hair as he paced before the fireplace. He knew what he needed…he knew _exactly. _But what he needed wasn't available to him, and nothing could change that. He felt as though he were going crazy. He picked up his drink glass and hurled it into the fireplace where it shattered amidst the flames, and snatching up his car keys, went down the elevator. 

It was late, after midnight when he sped out of the car condo and headed uptown. In a few minutes, he was at his destination. He rode the elevator up to the penthouse and knocked firmly on the door. In a few moments, the door opened.

"Erik, what the hell? Do you know what time it is?" Amir was dressed in a light robe.

Erik strode past him to the studio, which was a large, high-ceilinged room filled with musical instruments, files, and shelves of sheet music and CDs. He stripped off his jacket and threw it forcefully onto a chair as he turned around and faced his host.

"Erik, this really isn't a good time…"

"Prepare yourself or I'll take you as you are." He recognized the tone in Erik's voice, and could tell he was still angry.

Amir sighed. He turned around and walked to his bedroom. He wouldn't have tolerated this from anyone else, but Erik was a different story. _This has to have something to do with Christine _he thought. He changed quickly into a pair of casual knit pants and a tee shirt.

When he returned to the studio, he shut the door behind him and saw that Erik had removed his shoes and moved everything from the center of the studio to the perimeter. He joined him near the center of the room until they were about ten paces apart, and then they prepared and took their initial stance as they prepared to spar.

At an unspoken signal, they both rushed the other and began to fight powerfully in hand-to-hand combat, attempting to strike and deflect at the same time. This was what they were trained for in another lifetime in an arena that tolerated no mistakes. Their concentration was absolute, for any distraction could result in severe injury, a broken bone, or worse. Their arms, legs, feet and hands moved so rapidly that they appeared as blurs, each blow skillfully blocked by the other in what looked to be a deadly choreographed dance. In as many years had gone by since they'd had to use these skills to protect their lives, their reactions now were borne of instinct rather than memory in order to respond with the speed required of killing machines.

This continued for two minutes that seemed like forever until it became clear that they were too evenly matched and could continue in this vein indefinitely unless something changed. In the merest split second, Amir found himself hurtling backwards as Erik tackled him to the floor, and they grappled fiercely until they were able to grab the other in a hold that rendered the other immobile. In an uncomfortable tangle of arms and legs, each had the other in a hold that rendered the other helpless.

_"Do you give up?"_ Amir shouted from his precarious position on top.

_"No!" _Erik was on the bottom, and just as immobile.

_"You can't move…you might as well give up!" _

_"NEVER!" _…and in an unprecedented move, Erik bit down on the nearest appendage, causing Amir to scream and struggle valiantly to dislodge his bite. This sudden movement upset their delicate balance so that they both tumbled heavily to the floor.

_"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU GUYS THINK YOU'RE DOING!"_

At this wholly unexpected intrusion, everything stopped, and both sets of eyes were now on the figure standing in the studio door. Megan had apparently been awakened by the noise and had stumbled over to the studio for she looked like she'd just gotten out of bed and hurriedly thrown on one of Amir's pajama tops. But the look in her eyes registered shock at seeing the two best friends seemingly fighting for their lives.

Erik and Amir were breathing heavily from their exertion, but hadn't moved aside from turning their heads to look towards her, neither wanting to give up their supposed advantage. "Hello, cherie," Amir greeted from his position on the floor. "Erik just came by to visit. Go back to bed, and I'll be in in a little while."

Even from his awkward position, Erik thought Megan looked quite fetching half dressed in just a pajama top, but said nothing.

Megan looked at them both as if they were mad, but then turned around and closed the door, returning to bed.

When the door closed, the shock of her intrusion brought them back to the present and both seemed to realize simultaneously the absolute ridiculousness of their position, entangled as they were on the floor. They looked at each other blankly when a slow smile appeared on Erik's lips as he realized what he'd most likely interrupted. Amir looked at him wryly as he began to untangle himself from his friend.

When they were on their feet, Amir led the way to the kitchen to get something to drink. "Biting your opponent was never part of the training," he muttered as he rubbed the still prominent bite mark on his arm. "You want to tell me what this is all about?" he asked as he reached into the fridge for a pitcher.

Erik sat himself at the counter. "You already know. Besides, the training always said to use everything at your disposal, including your enemy." He rubbed a hand over his eyes. It was almost one in the morning.

Amir set two small glasses of juice on the counter for them. _Definitely about Christine._ "So, do you know what you want to do now?"

Erik picked up his glass. "I believe so, but I have to think about what to tell Joanna."

"What do you think her reaction will be?"

Erik sighed. "I have no idea."

"You used her, mon ami. She might become angry, perhaps even want to retaliate. If she does, what will you do then?"

"Kill her?"

"That's not funny."

"Then you tell me, what should I do?"

"No, it's what should _we_ do."


	44. All About Timing

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thanks to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 44

All About Timing

_January 21, Saturday_

It was a bright, clear January morning as Amir and Megan sped down the highway towards Monterey. Amir was pleased that Megan genuinely appreciated the Monterey Bay Aquarium as he did. He could imagine most of his old girlfriends seeing it as just another touristy attraction, but Megan saw it as an opportunity to see countless rare sea creatures in a marine environment, not to mention rare marine life she would never see except in an exhibit like this one, such as various species of jellyfish. He could tell that she was excited as they neared the aquarium, and knowing that they were so much alike in their interests brought him a wonderful sense of peace.

They spent the next two hours walking hand in hand through the exhibits and listening to lectures on the latest technology being used in the exploration of the Monterey Trench, which was over two miles deep. The marine exhibits were breathtaking, but their favorite by far was the jellyfish exhibit. A new species of jellyfish had recently been discovered in the trench, and unlike most jellyfish that were small and transparent, this one was bright red and three feet in length. By lunchtime, they were ready to sit down and eat as they discussed all they saw that morning.

Amir drove them to a nearby marina and he was glad he'd remembered to pack a camera for it was a gorgeous location that gave them a view of the boats as they came and went out of the marina, as well as the sea gulls and even the occasional sea lion. As Megan spread an elegant tablecloth on the picnic table, Amir watched and had to admire her innate dancer's movements as she unpacked the picnic basket. Everything about her spelled grace, and as he snapped some pictures of her in this beautiful setting, he felt he could never tire of watching her. He noticed that she'd packed colorful goblets for their sparkling champagne, as well as gleaming metal flatware and decorative plates for their lunch. And besides the Chinese chicken salad, he was pleased to see that she had also included a variety of dim sum and filled won tons. They were picnicking in style, and he just had to smile as she very neatly laid out his napkin and utensils and served up his plate.

"What?" Megan glanced up and saw that he was smiling broadly.

Amir shook his head. "I've never known anyone who could make a picnic a special occasion as well as you can, my dear."

"Maybe that's because being with you is always a special occasion to me," she replied softly.

Amir felt his heart bubble with emotion, and he couldn't help himself as he rose from his seat and embraced her from behind as she served him. "Megan…" he whispered.

She put down her plate and turned around to face him. "Let's eat!" she said brightly.

He looked at her blankly in surprise and then smiled as they took their seats across from one another. He realized at that moment, beyond any doubt, that he had found his treasure beyond compare.

* * *

"It's been ages since I've been to a movie…thanks for inviting me." 

"No problem. I think you'll really like this one, it's supposed to make a clean sweep of the Oscars this year in a bunch of different categories."

It was 9:00 in the evening and Roan and Christine were in line at the Rialto downtown for the first run of a new movie: Dreamland. It was considered a front runner for the Oscars amongst a number of other likely contenders, so it promised to be very good. As they shuffled into the theater, Roan bought them drinks and snacks before they found a seat near the back, and as the starting time neared, Christine noticed that just about all the seats had been taken. The movie featured a number of well-known actors and actresses, and when the musical credits were shown, she was surprised to see that it was composed and performed by E. Dupont. Roan saw it as well, and he glanced over at her as the credits continued on, but Christine merely stared straight ahead at the screen, wondering if Roan would have brought her to see it if he had known that Erik had done the music.

The movie was a very emotional love story with a number of different characters each looking for love. The main characters were lovers who were thrown apart due to a misunderstanding, and the remainder of the movie dealt with how they eventually returned to one another. Their trials were riveting and heart-wrenching, but when the main character sang a piece he composed to his love, Christine recognized it immediately as "For Christine," the song that Erik had composed for her and had performed for her on Christmas Day. It had an immediate effect on her as she started to cry, and by the time the song ended in a sweeping crescendo, she was sobbing uncontrollably, trying to stifle her sobs in her hands since they were in a crowded movie theater.

"Jesus, Christine, are you all right?" Roan had put his arm around her and tried to comfort her, but of course he didn't understand the reason for her reaction.

As the movie continued, it was evident that the entire soundtrack was brilliant, but that one love song would surely garner an Oscar and become a timeless classic. By the time the movie ended, Christine was exhausted and was wiping her eyes and blowing her nose as she tried to compose herself. She was glad they stood to go immediately rather than sit through the closing overture, because she was sure she'd be a weeping mess if she had to sit through a recap of the soundtrack.

As Roan drove her home, they discussed the story of the lovers and the other characters and again had differing views on the reasons for the characters' actions. Whereas Roan could understand the reasons for the antagonist's manipulative and underhanded shenanigans in order to win the love of the heroine, Christine thought he was reprehensible and was glad when he was thwarted by the hero, who got the girl in the end after countless obstacles.

"You're just a hopeless romantic, hon" he teased as they walked up the stairs to her apartment.

"Well, maybe so, but I just have a hard time believing that anyone could be so unscrupulous if they really loved someone." She unlocked her door and they walked in as Pinecone meowed from the living room.

"But that's just it, isn't it? If you really loved someone, you wouldn't let anything stop you from gaining their love. You'd do whatever it took."

Christine snorted. "No, you wouldn't! If you can't do it the right way, it won't work, because everything about the relationship would be tainted."

"Tainted? I think not," he grinned. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him before she could walk into her bedroom to change. "Thanks for coming to the movies with me."

"Thank you for taking me," she replied as she looked up at him. "I really enjoyed it."

He reached up to gently stroke her cheek and he lowered his head and placed a soft kiss upon her lips. As he embraced her, he could feel her relax in his arms, and as his kiss deepened, was glad that she welcomed him when he slipped his tongue into her mouth. He had begun to kiss her more firmly when Christine suddenly broke their kiss and stepped back.

"Um, it's getting kind of late. I think I'd better get ready to go to bed."

Roan was clearly disappointed, but not entirely surprised. "Okay, I'll give you a call tomorrow. Goodnight, babe." She saw him out the door and he kissed her briefly before he turned to go down the stairs.

He hadn't meant to push himself on her as he kissed her, but it was clearly getting to where it was getting harder to control himself when he was around her. Again, he found himself wondering how long he'd be able to maintain his control before it really became a problem. He'd never forced himself on anyone before, but then again, no one had ever had this effect on him. He knew he would never hurt her, but he wondered if he'd ever get to a point where he really wouldn't want to stop?

As he drove away, he noticed the tightness around his crotch and that he was as horny as hell, thanks to his close contact with Christine. He could always go home and relieve himself, but he knew that that wouldn't satisfy him nor quench his need. He knew what he had to do.

He flipped open his cell phone and dialed. "Hi, Hillary, it's Roan. You still up?..."

_

* * *

Monday night _

DiamondDiva: Hello, Amir? It's Joanna.

AK1000: Good evening. Are you all right?

DiamondDiva: Yes, I'm fine. I just wanted to thank you for your encouragement. It really helps me.

AK1000: I'm glad to hear it. You've been making very good progress. I wish everyone in the chorus trained as diligently as you do, but because they don't, it makes you stand out all the more.

DiamondDiva: I'm glad it's made a difference because I didn't want to take being here for granted. It's a privilege to train in the United States.

AK1000: I'm glad you feel that way. You're a fine addition to our cast, and if you wish, you can choose to stay on after your one-year contract is over.

DiamondDiva: I'll have to see where I am then because I had planned on going back to Vienna after a year, and my family expects me back. But since I've been here, I've loved it.

AK1000: There's nothing like immersing yourself in another culture to really get the feel of that country. It's a privilege to be able to do so.

DiamondDiva: Yes, that's exactly how I feel. I love San Francisco because it's a very vibrant city, and the people are very nice for a large city, which is rare.

AK1000: Have you been able to make friends among the other cast members?

DiamondDiva: Yes, I've made a few friends, but they're married or have families, and so I haven't found anyone to spend time with yet. When I go sight-seeing around the city, I usually go by myself.

AK1000: If I may ask, are you still dating Erik Dupont?

At this, Joanna hesitated, and Amir wondered what she was thinking.

DiamondDiva: Yes, I'm still dating him, but I haven't heard from him in awhile.

AK1000: If you ever need someone to talk to, I want you to know that you can always talk to me if you need to. It's true that Erik and I are friends, but whatever you and I talk about will be kept strictly confidential between us. I know it can be difficult when you don't have a close friend to confide in.

DiamondDiva: Thank you, I really appreciate that.

AK1000: We'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight, Joanna.

DiamondDiva: Goodnight, Amir.

_

* * *

Wednesday night _

Amir had prepared a light Japanese dinner that consisted of bowls of udon noodles with vegetables, sashimi, sushi, and green tea. Megan loved Japanese food and deftly took up her chopsticks as she dove into the udon noodles.

"So how was work today?" she asked, as she did every evening.

"It was fine."

Megan looked at him and could tell that something was on his mind. "Is Erik still dating Joanna?"

Amir paused before answering. "I don't think so. He's going to have to talk to her soon about it, though. I've been encouraging her singing because she takes it so seriously. When he finally does break up with her, at least she won't have to worry about her performance."

Megan smiled at that. "That's really kind. But…this kind of puts me in an awkward position."

Amir looked up from his noodles. "How so?"

She pondered her sushi. "Well, she's a cast member to you, but to me, she's the hussy that was in bed with my best friend's boyfriend."

Amir thought about this and had some sashimi before responding. "Yes, she was in bed with him, but she wouldn't have been if Erik hadn't gone after her. And if he pursued her, then that would have meant that he was no longer with Christine. I'd say Joanna was innocent and just got caught in the middle."

It sounded reasonable, but Megan wasn't convinced. "Well, that's certainly possible, but there's one thing you haven't taken into consideration here."

"And what's that?"

"The mind of a woman."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

Megan smiled inscrutably. "Have you ever heard of the saying, 'she chased him until he caught her'? I think that's what really happened here."

Amir stopped eating and looked at her. "I'm not even going to pretend that I understood what you just said. I pray you'll enlighten me."

Still smiling, Megan did just that. By the time she was done, Amir was amazed that Megan could come up with such complex and thoroughly multifarious reasoning. _And this is how a woman thinks? It's no wonder we don't understand them._

She could tell that Amir was highly doubtful, but realized that it was just another example of Mars versus Venus. She could only hope that he would see it someday when this was all over.

_

* * *

Friday night _

DiamondDiva: Good evening, are you there?

After a few moments, Amir responded.

AK1000: Good evening, Joanna. How are you?

DiamondDiva: A little tired. Do you have a few minutes, or is this a bad time?

AK1000: I have a few minutes. What can I do for you?

DiamondDiva: I didn't get a chance to talk to you this afternoon, so I just wondered if you might have any comments about my singing from the matinee?

AK1000: No, not this time. Everything went well, and I'm sure your performance tonight was flawless as well.

DiamondDiva: Thank you. I wrote to my family today and told them how helpful you've been to me. May I tell you a secret?

AK1000: Of course.

DiamondDiva: Please don't take this the wrong way, but there are times when your encouragement is the only thing that keeps me going sometimes.

AK1000: Joanna, you're much too beautiful and talented to let things get you down so.

DiamondDiva: That's kind of you to say, but I haven't heard from Erik in over a week. I'm sure he's going to break up with me.

AK1000: Well, if that should happen, we can talk about it.

DiamondDiva: Okay, thank you. Goodnight, Amir.

AK1000: Goodnight, Joanna.

He turned off his laptop and leaned it against the nightstand.

"'You're much too beautiful and talented to let things get you down so'? Do you talk to all your cast members that way?" Megan asked from beside him. She wasn't smiling.

Amir shifted himself around so he could again take her in his arms as she laid beside him. "Of course not, but she's about to be dumped. I just wanted to make sure she's all right."

"Babe, far be it from me to tell you what to do, but we _were _making love when she called. And you told her that it wasn't a bad time when it was."

"I'm sorry, cherie, it won't happen again. Now, where were we…?"

_

* * *

Saturday _

Erik had been thinking all week about what to tell Joanna in order to break it off, but he could no longer deny that the only reason he'd stayed with her this long was for sex. He couldn't deny that it was always wonderful, but he'd already determined that it wasn't enough to stay with someone. Indeed, she was beautiful and well-read, and he enjoyed her company when they were together, but he just didn't feel anything for her. How strange he thought…I never thought I'd ever be in a position to refuse a beautiful woman.

Erik had been thinking all week about what to tell Joanna in order to break it off, but he could no longer deny that the only reason he'd stayed with her this long was for sex. He couldn't deny that it was always wonderful, but he'd already determined that it wasn't enough to stay with someone. Indeed, she was beautiful and well-read, and he enjoyed her company when they were together, but he just didn't anything for her. he thought…

He'd called her that morning and asked her to meet him in one of the dressing rooms at 11:30 tonight after the evening performance. He didn't want to tell her before the show for fear it would throw off her performance, but this way, she'd have time to change and get cleaned, and the cast and crew would be gone by then. He wasn't even sure what he would say, but he couldn't let this go on.

* * *

It was about 10:00 when they left Pompei's Grotto on Fisherman's Wharf and were walking back to the car. It was dark and no one else was about. Christine had her arm through Roan's and they were feeling relaxed after a their meal.. 

"That was wonderful! I hadn't had Dungeness crab in ages."

"I'm glad you liked it. I like it because it's usually not as crowded as some of the larger restaurants, and its quieter."

As they approached their car, a tall young man approached them. "Excuse me, would you have a light?"

Roan gestured in the negative. "I'm sorry, we don't smoke."

The man suddenly grabbed Christine's arm and wrenched her away from Roan as he held her fast with a knife to her throat. Christine screamed and Roan froze. "Give me your wallet," he said tensely.

"Take it easy, man," Roan said nervously. "Don't hurt her. Here, here's my wallet." He took it out of his back pocket and tossed it to him.

As the man reached out to catch it, Roan took his momentary distraction to grab the hand that held the knife and quickly pulled Christine away.

"Roan!" she screamed.

Roan and the man struggled over the knife, but it was soon evident that the man was much stronger than he looked. Christine was terrified that Roan would be killed as they continued grappling, but when the knife was dropped during the struggle, Roan unexpectedly punched the side of his attacker's head, causing him to falter backwards and take the opportunity to flee. Roan rushed over to Christine and held her close. "Are you all right?" he asked breathlessly.

"Yes, I'm all right." She was trembling uncontrollably. "Please, let's just go home."

After retrieving his wallet, which had been forgotten in the struggle, Roan supported Christine around the waist and they walked the rest of the way to the car. They drove home in silence and then made their way up the stairs to Christine's apartment. When she had locked the door behind them, she wrapped her arms around him and just hung on, burying her face in his chest. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you."

Roan held her tightly. "I couldn't let anything happen to you, Christine. I'd never let anything ever happen to you," he whispered. "Why don't you go and get changed for bed? I'll be right here."

Christine went to her bedroom and got undressed, changing into an oversized tee shirt and robe. When she walked into the living room, she saw that Roan had removed his jacket and was now sitting on the couch, a hand over his eyes. "Roan?"

He moved his hand and looked up at her.

"Roan, could you spend the night here with me tonight? I'm still kind of shaky from what happened, and…"

He nodded. "Of course, I can sleep right here on the couch."

She went to the linen closet and brought out a couple blankets and a pillow and then hugged him. "Thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Christine." And he placed a kiss on her forehead.

* * *

It was exactly 11:30 when Erik heard the light knock on the dressing room door, and when he opened it, Joanna stood there changed out of costume and her heavy stage make-up removed. He invited her in and she entered hesitantly, her heart pounding and her face pale. 

He invited her to sit on one of the couches that was in the room as he poured a couple paper cups of water from a carafe on the table and then took a seat at the other end of the couch. He still didn't know how he would tell her, but Joanna seemed to be even more nervous than he was.

"Joanna, thank you for coming tonight. I know I haven't seen you in over a week, but I've thought about our relationship a great deal." He paused to take a sip from his cup and noticed that Joanna nervously did the same. "I've enjoyed the time we've spent together, but, my feelings for you haven't grown the way I'd hoped they would, and I still feel the same as I did when we first began dating, as friends."

Joanna had been staring raptly at him and seemed to be thinking about what to say, until she finally said, "So what are you saying, Erik?"

He set his paper cup back on the table and stood as he began to pace. "I'm saying that I don't think we should date any more. Our relationship isn't going anywhere, and it would be unfair of me to keep dating you when you could be dating someone who would have more to give you." He stopped and looked at her, hoping she was willing to discuss this reasonably.

Joanna looked at him as he said this, but then looked down at her cup as though internalizing what he'd just said. She stood, and walked over to one of the racks of costumes, staring at it blankly. She shook her head as though thinking to herself. Softly, almost to herself, he heard her say, "And to think I was falling in love with you. All this time, when we were making love…it meant nothing to you. I gave all of myself to you, and it meant nothing."

"Joanna, it did mean something at the time, but it wasn't enough to sustain us. Please try to understand, I wanted this to work, but it just didn't."

She shook her head and looked up at him coldly. "And why is that, Erik? Can you tell me that?" She was starting to raise her voice. "I know it wasn't because _I _wasn't trying, so could it be because your heart was still with someone else? Could it be because I was just convenient for you because I was so willing to come to your bed?"

"Joanna, please…"

_"NO! _No one has ever refused me before, and now that I was finally about to fall in love, _you_ decide you no longer want me after you've had your fill! Who was she, Erik? _Was it Ms. Karlsson?" _she shouted.

Erik froze. "That's enough, Joanna. I've said what I've had to say and I'm sorry if you're having a difficult time accepting it, but that's the way it is."

"I wasn't even bothered by your mask, Erik!" she continued loudly. "I never would have even brought it up because it never mattered to me, but I'll bet it mattered to _her_, didn't it? Is that why she left you?" she cried.

"That's enough!" he shouted, angrily turning from her.

_"No, it's NOT!" _she screamed, grabbing his arm, almost hysterical. _"You're still in love with that bitch, Christine, aren't you, but she's nothing but a fucking whore!" _

Faster than thought, Erik spun and wrenched his arm away, inadvertently back-handing her and sending her sprawling. She was sobbing uncontrollably as Erik came and stood over her menacingly.

"Don't you _ever_ speak about Christine that way," he growled. "_We're finished, Joanna!" _He walked away from her as she sobbed into the floor, and he left the dressing room, slamming the door behind him. He walked quickly to the elevator, taking it down to the car condo. He got into the Ferrari and sped off into the night.

He felt dizzy, as though what had just happened had been a dream. Where did he think he was going now? He had no idea. He tried to think about the last several weeks and what it all meant. He'd just been drifting along, not really aware of the things going on around him. He'd been with Joanna since breaking up with Christine, but all he could remember of Joanna now was sex. He truly couldn't remember much more of their association.

He then thought about Christine, and it seemed he could remember everything they'd ever done or said to each other. He thought about how she looked, and then it all came back to him…her face, her smile, the smell of her hair, her skin… He began to feel the familiar pain in his heart again. He hadn't felt it for awhile when he'd been with Joanna, but now it was back. They'd been apart for a month, but the pain wouldn't go away. He missed her…and as he realized this, the pain grew stronger. He needed her in his life…he couldn't do this any more, trying to deny what she meant to him. She _was_ his life, and he needed her.

* * *

It was close to midnight and Christine was in bed, almost asleep, as Roan sat watch beside her, when there was a soft knocking at the front door. 

"Is there someone at the door? It's late…" Christine murmured.

"I'll go see who it is," Roan said softly. He closed the door behind him as he walked into the living room. He looked out of the peephole and was shocked to see Erik Dupont on the other side. _What the fuck's he doing here?"_ But he knew why he was there. Quickly, he pulled off his sweater and socks and tossed them to the side, then mussed his hair before opening the door.

He rubbed a hand over his eyes before murmuring, "Erik? What're you doing here?"

Erik stood frozen in shock. Roan was the last person he'd expected to see, and now he stood there dressed only in his trousers, apparently just awakened. "Where's Christine?" he asked.

"Um, she's asleep in bed," he mumbled. He saw Erik looking him over and decided to go in for the kill. "You're too late, man…she's mine."

Erik took a step back as though he'd been struck. Roan saw his look of stunned realization, that his eyes had started to water, and he backed away further. He turned and walked quickly down the stairs as Roan gently closed the door. He retrieved his sweater and socks and put them back on before going back to the bedroom.

"Who was that?" Christine mumbled as he sat back down on the bed.

"Nobody, they had the wrong apartment. They were looking for someone else," he said calmly.

* * *

Erik walked hurriedly back to his car and inserted the key in the ignition as he grasped the steering wheel. He needed to get out of there as quickly as possible. But before he could start the car, his entire body was suddenly seized by unspeakable grief and he stiffened as he started to cry, bitterly. His sobs wracked his body with such pain that he couldn't move for several minutes. He rested his head on the steering wheel as his tears fell. He was all alone in the world. 


	45. Friends

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 45

Friends

_Sunday, 12:00 a.m._

Joanna lay on the floor sobbing inconsolably for several minutes after Erik had left. When she was able to gather herself and move, her face hurt and she felt dizzy from hard crying and just wanted to get home. She picked herself off the floor and steadied herself, noticing how quiet everything was, and went over to the couch to retrieve her purse. She walked slowly to the dressing room door and then closed it behind her as she made her way out of the lobby to the parking garage. She drove slowly, not really seeing the traffic or buildings or even thinking about her route, but still found her way safely home. Feeling emotionally drained and alone, she parked in her assigned carport and rode the elevator up to her floor. When she was finally safely ensconced in her bedroom, she laid down numbly and curled up with her pillow. She reached over to pick up the phone, and the card that laid next to it.

* * *

When the phone rang, Amir turned on the light and caught it on the second ring. 

"Hello?" he mumbled.

"Amir? It's Joanna. I'm sorry for calling so late." It sounded as though she'd been crying.

"Joanna? What time is it? It's almost 12:30. Are you all right?"

She didn't answer immediately, but when she did, she sounded emotional. "No," she said shakily. "Erik broke up with me tonight, and…he hit me," she said brokenly.

_"He what?"_ Amir was wide awake now. "Where are you?"

"I'm at home now..." Her voice was getting higher, and he could tell she was on the verge of crying again.

"I'll be right there," and he hung up.

He got out of bed and quickly began to get dressed.

Megan stirred in bed. "Where're you going?" she asked groggily.

"I have to take care of something," he replied quickly as he threw on a jacket.

"Where?"

"I can't explain now, darling, but I'll be back soon. I'll tell you about it in the morning." And he rushed out the door with his keys.

He didn't know what to think or to expect as he drove over to Joanna's apartment. The only thing he was fairly sure of was that Erik had to have been provoked for him to strike her.

He pulled up to her apartment building and quickly made his way to her door. When she opened to him, it was obvious she'd been crying, and he stepped in and immediately examined her face. Amir went into her kitchen and opened her freezer, removing a couple ice cubes and placing them in a plastic baggie which he found in her drawer, and then wrapping them in a dish towel. He had her place it on her cheek to help with the swelling and then found a bottle of white wine, which he quickly opened and poured into a glass for her. She led him to the living room, and when they were settled, he finally asked, "Joanna, tell me what happened."

She told him everything from their first date on. They had had a very passionate affair, but after four weeks, Erik had apparently tired of her and broke it off. She'd furiously called Ms. Karlsson names, and that was when he'd lashed out. Joanna was angry because she felt she'd been used and summarily discarded.

There wasn't a lot he could say to her about Erik's behavior, but it did confirm to him that Erik was indeed still in love with Christine. He understood Erik's reaction and why he'd struck Joanna, but he also felt that she was most likely justified in feeling used. He felt badly for her because she had merely been in the wrong place at the wrong time, namely, available for Erik to take advantage of her when he needed her. He had known Joanna would come to this end eventually and had even warned Erik, but there'd been nothing he could do about it, and all he could do now was to comfort her as best he could.

When Joanna had finished telling him her tale and he had ensured that she would be all right, he stood up to leave and Joanna saw him to the door.

"Thank you for coming over so quickly," she said gratefully. "I feel so stupid getting you out of bed over this."

Amir stroked her cheek gently. "No, you're not stupid, Joanna. I'm just sorry this happened. Try to get some sleep. I'll see you Monday."

But before he could go, she embraced him and hugged him tightly. He hadn't expected it, but he hugged her back. She hung on to him for awhile, but he felt it was because she needed to be consoled, and so he comforted her. As he held her, he again became aware of her perfume, and he thought it smelled wonderful.

As he drove home, he was glad she wasn't seriously hurt, but Erik should have had better control of himself. She could easily cover up the bruising, but the swelling would probably take a day or two to go down. That was the first time he'd been in her apartment, and he vaguely remembered how nice it was, noting that it suited her.

It was around 1:30 in the morning when he got back in bed, and though he was cold, he was grateful when Megan wrapped herself around him in her sleep and warmed him quickly, not minding his chill. He held her close to him as he fell into a deep sleep.

_

* * *

2:30 a.m. _

_"No, NO! GO…LEAVE ME ALONE!"_ she screamed.

Christine was shouting and thrashing in her sleep when Roan rushed into her room to see what was the matter. He quickly went to her and held her, shushing her and talking to her softly in order to wake her from her nightmare.

When she finally calmed, he just held her for a time because she couldn't fall asleep again, and she was still afraid. She'd never been so afraid in her life. Roan stroked her hair and rubbed her back, assuring her that he would stay with her for as long as she needed him to. Although he probably should have been afraid as well, he thought the fact that he was able to take action probably gave him more of a feeling of control, whereas for Christine, she'd had no control at all, and so had more reason to fear than he did. He felt such tenderness for her because she'd needed his protection. He laid down next to her in the bed and wrapped his arms around her protectively.

Some time later, he wasn't sure when, Christine had started to kiss him, tentatively, shyly. She was receiving comfort and strength from him, and when she pulled back to look at him, he thought she would stop, but she didn't. When she leaned in to kiss him again, he ran his fingers through her hair and held her close, his desire building rapidly. She kissed him more firmly, and when he reached for her breast, she surprised him by sitting up halfway and pulling her nightshirt off over her head.

She kissed him again and began to help him unbutton his shirt. He slipped it off, and then momentarily moved off the bed to remove his pants and briefs. He was erect. He returned to the bed and gazed at her lovingly and slowly began to remove her panties. He tossed them aside, and asked gently, "Christine, do you want me?"

Her beautiful eyes unblinking, she whispered, "Yes, I want you."

* * *

It was 8:00 in the morning when Erik awoke. He wished he never had to awaken again as he remembered the night before. Roan had been there…and he'd been too late. 

When he returned home after leaving Christine's, he walked woodenly to his bedroom and undressed for bed. He remembered thinking how unfortunate it was that he was out of morphine. Instead, he poured himself a double shot of whiskey. It really didn't affect him other than to burn a little on the way down, but he thought that it might at least help him sleep. And so he crawled into bed and closed his eyes and dreamt…

It was a strange dream. Christine was in it, but whenever he would get close to her, something would always pull her away. There were different scenarios throughout the night, but no matter how he would plan or how hard he tried, she would always get away, and by the morning, he awoke with a feeling of grief over having lost something precious. And when his memory of the night returned, along with his dream, the pain in his heart was piercing.

He got up and showered, and by 9:00, was ready to face a day he didn't wish to face. He was dressed and looking out the window, listening to the wind chimes sound gently and knowing what it meant, when there was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" he called.

"Amir."

_Great. _"Come."

Amir walked in, dressed casually for a Sunday, and sat in the living room across from where Erik stood. "I saw Joanna last night after you broke up with her."

Erik sighed. "Did she tell you that I beat her to within an inch of her life?

"No, just that you hit her when she started calling Christine names."

"It was an accident. So how was she?"

"She'll heal. What are you going to do now?"

Erik turned and faced him, but didn't say anything for awhile.

"Erik?"

"Do you hear the wind chimes?" he asked unexpectedly. He turned and gestured to them as they gently sounded in the breeze. "Christine gave them to me for Christmas. She made it herself out of seashells she gathered from the island."

Amir looked over at them and had to admit they were quite attractive. "They're very nice."

Erik had a slight smile on his face as he admired them. "She told me that whenever I heard them, it would mean that she was thinking of me, and that she loved me." He reached out as though he would touch them, but then withdrew his hand.

"Erik, what are you trying to say?"

He sighed again as he tore himself away and sat at the other end of the couch. "I'm trapped. I've nowhere else to go, nowhere else I want to go. No matter what she's done, I can't live without her. I need her here with me. I have to have her…she's my life."

Amir understood. "And what about Mr. Richards?"

Erik's face hardened at the mention of his name. "He was there last night."

"Where?"

"I went to Christine's after I left Joanna, and he was there…I was too late."

"What do you mean?"

"I woke him up, and Christine was still asleep in bed. They're intimate." He looked to Amir for a reaction, perhaps sympathy, but not the response he received.

Amir rubbed his chin as he listened, but then slowly began to shake his head. Something was bothering him. "No, this isn't right…Erik, this is too important. You mustn't take anything for granted. Talk to her. It's too late only if she tells you she doesn't want you."

"Talk to her? _Talk to her? _I just saw her boyfriend answer the door after sleeping with her and you want me to talk to her?" Erik got up and began pacing. _"NO!"_

Amir turned to face him. "No? Then what do you plan to do, mon ami?"

Erik glared at him. "I don't know yet…but I'll think of something, and then I'll let you know."

* * *

It was 9:00 when Roan awoke, and he could tell immediately that he wasn't in his own bed, although he couldn't tell why initially. He felt so warm and cozy that he almost opted to go back to sleep, but he didn't. When he opened his eyes, he looked over and saw Christine propped up on her elbow, watching him, smiling. 

He looked at her blankly at first before returning her smile, and wondered what she was thinking, but the fact that she was smiling had to be a good sign. He'd wondered last night after Christine had fallen asleep how the morning would be when they woke up together for the first time. Mornings after were always awkward for him, but he'd never felt this way before.

"Good morning, beautiful," he smiled groggily.

"Good morning, handsome," she returned with a smile, and she laid her head on his shoulder as he put his arm around her.

"Are you all right this morning?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"No regrets?"

When she paused to think about it, Roan wondered if she did indeed regret their night together, but then she said, "No. No regrets."

Roan smiled to himself as he closed his eyes. _Thank you, God, thank you. _He felt like celebrating. "Come on, let's go out for breakfast!"

It was close to 10:00 after they'd showered and gotten dressed when they finally left her apartment to go to breakfast, but in keeping with wanting to celebrate their first day together as a real couple, Roan took Christine to brunch at Port Royal on the wharf where the lavish spread included fresh oysters on the half and sushi, as well as elegant breakfast fare. It was a wonderful brunch, and as they prepared to leave, their waitress presented them with a bagful of their famous chocolate chip scones as they did for all their customers. Christine was delighted for they were delicious.

It was around noon when they returned to her apartment, and Roan had suggested spending the afternoon together at his place, but Christine begged off due to needing to take care of laundry, cleaning, and running errands. Roan was disappointed, but understood, and promised to touch base with her later that evening.

After Roan had left, Christine went to her bedroom and laid down. She needed some time to think. She'd needed Roan desperately last night, and he'd made love to her passionately. She had waited for Erik for a month, hoping that he would return to her, but he never did. She knew that Roan had wanted her for months, but she'd held out, waiting for Erik. There were nights when she'd wanted him so badly that she'd be climbing the walls, but she resorted to masturbating rather than give in to Roan.

Erik had protected her when they'd gotten mugged, and she thought Erik would always be her protector, but last night, it had been Roan. When she needed desperately for Erik to make love to her last night after her brush with death, again it was Roan who was there to love her, and she'd given herself to him completely, not holding back, and neither had he, until they finally fell asleep in each other's arms. She was exhausted and satisfied, but before falling asleep, it was Erik she thought of.

As she slept, she dreamt of her life a few years from now. She and Roan were happy together. He was kind to her and loved her with all his heart. They would travel, do things, and enjoy the city and their friends. She was one of the premier sopranos at the Phil, while Roan now helped run his family's company, and all was well. Except, that is, when she performed on stage.

Her performances were always well received and she would receive standing ovations and wonderful write-ups in the papers, yet as she sang, putting her heart and soul into each performance, she would see a shadow up in the balcony among the other patrons. He would be there for all of her performances and not miss a single one, applauding with the others, yet she could never make out his face. And afterward, as she would change out of costume and remove her stage make-up, she would always have a feeling of being watched. It was never a frightening feeling, but more one of being intensely loved. Several times she'd even searched her dressing room, so strong and sure was this feeling, but there was never anyone there, although the feeling lingered. She knew he was always watching somehow, and she hoped she would someday find this phantom, for if she did, she knew she would love him forever.

When she awoke that morning, she'd had the same feeling of unease she usually did when she couldn't remember a dream. When she turned to the center of the bed and saw Roan still asleep, she felt a pang of disappointment she couldn't deny.

_I wish you were Erik..._

_

* * *

Monday _

It was the first day of rehearsals for the new production. The music had been completed months ago, costumes were being made, and sets were being constructed. It was always exciting to start a new project, and it always seemed like a race against time to have everything ready for opening night.

Choreographers were working with the dancers in another room, and singers had the stage. Amir was in the pit with the orchestra and everyone was ready to begin. It was always a little rough the first week, but Amir was comfortable with his cast for they were professionals and would come together quickly. As they began, he led them through the opening overture and then through the first scene with lead singers and the chorus. As everyone went through their parts, he listened carefully to each singer to ensure they meshed well with the others and took notes as he went. By noon, when everyone broke for lunch, he had a good idea of where everyone was at vocally.

He was straightening his papers and was about go over to Gaston's to grab a quick bite when he heard from behind him, "I thought I'd join you for lunch, I hope you don't mind."

He turned and was surprised to see Megan with a picnic basket. He smiled warmly when he saw her and gave her a kiss and a warm hug. "What a wonderful surprise to see you, cherie! And to what do I owe this pleasant visit?"

Megan was relieved to see that he was indeed glad to see her. "I made a salad this morning and I remembered how much you enjoyed the last one, so I thought we could have lunch together today. That is, unless you already had something else planned…"

"As a matter of fact, I'm free for the next hour, so I'm all yours," he grinned. He took the basket from her and led her to the elevators. He knew just the place to have an impromptu picnic…in one of the secret gardens of the Phil.

As they walked out of the theater, another pair of eyes followed from behind a backdrop until they were out of sight. _So, that's Amir's girlfriend. She's very pretty, but no matter…_

_

* * *

Monday evening _

DiamondDiva: Good evening, Amir.

AK1000: Good evening, Joanna. How was practice today?

DiamondDiva: A little rough. One of the conductors talked to me about my voice this afternoon.

AK1000: Yes, I noticed it seemed to be straining today.

DiamondDiva: I tried warming it up, but it still doesn't sound right.

AK1000: It can be difficult if you're still emotional.

DiamondDiva: Well, all I can do is practice, isn't it?

AK1000: Yes, and try to get your mind off of what's bothering you.

DiamondDiva: And how can I do that?

AK1000: Do you have any other interests besides singing?

DiamondDiva: I have many interests, but it's no fun if it's done alone.

AK1000: San Francisco has many clubs and organizations. You might consider looking into some of them.

DiamondDiva: But I'd hardly have any time for them between rehearsals, practice, and performing!

AK1000: I understand, and I'm sorry. But you might talk to the others in the cast and find out how they deal with it.

DiamondDiva: I've already tried making friends with the cast, and there's no one I can associate with. Victoria's already seen to that, but I've encountered others like her before.

Amir truly sympathized with her and he was aware of the hierarchy amongst the highly competitive female singers, but there was nothing he could do about that. Joanna's best defense was what she was already doing…practice until her talent outshined them all.

AK1000: Joanna, I understand how difficult it can be at the stage you're at now, but it's something all the singers must go through in order to succeed. If you can just hang in there and keep improving your voice, you'll eventually rise above it.

DiamondDiva: I know, and I thank you for reminding me of it. It's just hard while I'm going through it.

AK1000: You're very talented, and as long as you keep on working at it as you have been, you _will_ succeed. I believe in you, Joanna.

DiamondDiva: Thank you, that means a great deal to me. Your girlfriend is a very fortunate woman.

AK1000: How do you know I have a girlfriend?

DiamondDiva: I thought I saw you with someone as I was leaving for lunch today. She was very pretty.

AK1000: Yes, that was Megan. She's very special to me.

DiamondDiva: And I'm sure you're very special to her. You're very lucky to have each other.

AK1000: Thank you. But you'll find someone someday soon, too.

DiamondDiva: I hope you're right. I don't like being alone.

AK1000: You won't be alone for long. Trust me.

DiamondDiva: You say that like you know something I don't. 

AK1000: Ha-ha…no, it's just that pretty girls don't last long in this town.

DiamondDiva: Well, I hope you're right. Thanks for your encouragement. Good night, Amir.

AK1000: Good night, Joanna.

_

* * *

Tuesday _

"Ms. Koell, you were off on that last one again. Please step out. You can come back after lunch and try it again."

The staff conductor was going through the cast and discussing what they had to work on, but Joanna had been the only one who'd been singled out to leave. She was humiliated, and her face burned as she turned and walked quickly to the back rooms. She was running by the time she'd reached the soundproof practice room and was crying as she closed the door and fell onto the couch.

She'd never been so embarrassed, but she just couldn't concentrate on her singing. It had only been a couple days since her break-up with Erik. She needed to learn to control her emotions if she wanted to be a professional! Rather than go to lunch, she decided to spend the hour practicing before returning to the stage.

The remainder of the afternoon went a little better, and by the time they were dismissed at three, she felt she'd had a very long day. When she returned home, she pampered herself with a nice, hot bubble bath surrounded by scented candles and soft music. She fixed herself a light dinner with sparkling white wine and then treated herself to a light dessert of lime sherbet. By the time she went to bed, she convinced herself that tomorrow had to be a better day.

_

* * *

Wednesday _

"Ms. Koell, you're still off, and it's very obvious, especially at the crescendo. Please step out and we'll see you after the break." Everyone was quiet as she excused herself and walked away.

It was so embarrassing. Her tears were falling nonstop as she made her way quickly to the practice room. She didn't know how to fix it other than to keep practicing, but it was impossible now in her emotional state. She wiped her eyes as she stood in the middle of the room and straightened her posture as she prepared to practice her piece. But before she could start, the door suddenly opened and she turned to see who it was.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Joanna, but they're breaking for lunch now and I just wondered if you'd care to have lunch with me?" It was Amir.

She was grateful for the invitation because the last two days had been awful, but she wondered why he would want to have lunch with her if he already had a girlfriend? "I really appreciate the offer, but why are you inviting me?" she asked curiously.

Amir looked at her kindly. "To tell you the truth, I thought you could use a friend."


	46. P3

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: I've made some very small but significant changes to the end of chapter 44 and parts of chapter 45. I really hate going back to do this, but it was necessary for the story to progress properly. Thank-you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 46

P3

_February 1, Wednesday_

Joanna was glad that Amir was able to get them a relatively quiet booth in a corner when they went to Gaston's because she really didn't wish to see anyone from the morning. After they'd gotten settled and placed their order with the waitress, they were able to converse quietly.

"Joanna, you have a wonderful talent and I don't want you to get discouraged just because you're having a difficult time right now. You're doing the right thing by continuing to train your voice, because once you've proven yourself vocally, no one will be able to touch you. I can't tell you how many promising singers we've lost because they couldn't tough it out."

Joanna's eyes were downcast as she listened, but she looked up when she spoke. "I guess I just wasn't prepared for how competitive it was with a professional company. I never experienced anything like this at the conservatory."

"Yes, it's a shock to most newcomers, but everyone who's succeeded has had to go through it. Have you ever wondered why Victoria is the way she is? It's because she's insecure, and when she sees a beautiful young woman who's obviously quite talented, she's afraid she'll be replaced someday."

"But that could never happen, could it?"

"It most certainly could."

Joanna's eyes widened, surprised at his answer.

"You see, the San Francisco Philharmonic is renown for a lot of reasons, and one of those reasons is the quality of our performers. The fact that you were even hired says a lot about your talent, Joanna, but all of the roles in our productions are competitive, and the parts are assigned based on merit. Victoria is our current leading soprano, but as they say, you're only as good as your last performance."

Their waitress brought their food, and Joanna gratefully started in on her chicken Caesar as Amir had his club sandwich.

"But I've only been here a few months. She couldn't see me as a threat now."

"But you practice more than anyone else in the chorus, and it shows. Believe me, people who take this business seriously notice, and Victoria's already noticed, as I have. You're doing the right thing, my dear, and one day, if you keep improving as you have been, Victoria will one day be your peer."

Joanna thought about this as she quietly ate her salad. She'd been in awe of Victoria's voice when she'd first arrived, but it wasn't long before she realized that Victoria's attitude was less than flattering, and vowed never to be like her. Still, her voice was beautiful, and to think she could ever be considered her peer was unbelievable at this point. She appreciated Amir's words of encouragement and knew that she would do whatever it took to become one of the greatest sopranos in the world. She decided then and there to get ahold of herself and try her best to stop grieving over Erik. From this moment on, she would be single-minded in her goal to become a great opera singer. She smiled to herself slightly as she sipped her ice tea and looked across at Amir. "Thank you. I needed to hear that."

After lunch, they returned to the stage and Amir was glad to see that Joanna seemed to be in better spirits. When he turned and looked up toward the balcony, he saw Erik seated in the far corner. He decided to pay him a visit.

"What brings you down from the tower?" he asked as he sat next to him.

Erik had his fingers steepled as he looked at the stage. He shook his head slowly. "I think of her almost every moment that I'm awake. What am I going to do?"

Amir sighed and looked over at him. "You already know, my friend."

Erik closed his eyes and shook his head again. "What have I done? I accused her of being with that boy, and now it doesn't even matter. No matter what she's done, I want her back."

Amir felt badly for him. His friend was in torment, but there was nothing he could do. "Erik, things aren't always as they seem. You know this. Go, talk to her."

He didn't say anything for awhile, but before he stood, he gently brought his fist down on Amir's arm as he left the balcony and made his way back up to his apartment. Images formed in his mind of Christine and that boy making love, of him taking her and igniting her passions. When he closed his door behind him, he went to the wet bar and poured himself a shot of whiskey. _I'll get her back somehow…I'll take her away from that boy. _

_Christine…no one can love you as I do…_

_

* * *

Wednesday evening _

Megan loved preparing dinner at Amir's, for not only did he have a very well-stocked kitchen, but she thought he had the most beautiful dishes and flatware. She had prepared linguini with white clam sauce for tonight, which smelled heavenly, along with a salad and French bread to dip in balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and had found just the right bottle of chardonnay which was even now chilling in an ice bucket. She'd placed flowers on the table, and everything looked beautiful. Although the work day ended at five, if he walked in at 5:30, everything would be ready for him. She smiled as she imagined his expression upon walking into the dining room. He always looked so pleased when he saw the table laid out and dinner waiting for him when he walked in, and Megan found that she looked forward to this in the evenings.

When it became 5:45, she wondered why he was late. Her first thought was that there were probably last-minute details to attend to, although he always called when he'd be delayed, but when it became 6:15, she called his office. She normally never called him at work for she didn't wish to interfere with his job, but unless there had been an emergency, there was no reason for him not to have at least called her.

After the fifth ring, she hung up and dialed his cell phone, but it was either busy or turned off. She was in the kitchen preparing to put the food away when she heard the front door. She glanced over at the kitchen clock and saw that it was 6:30.

She heard him enter the dining room and stop, no doubt to admire the table setting, before he came into the kitchen. When he did, he stopped at the entrance, his hands on either side of the doorway as he gazed at her apologetically.

She looked at him evenly. "I tried to call your office, and then I tried your cell phone, but you didn't pick up."

"I'm sorry, cherie, it couldn't be helped. I was helping someone with a part and the time got away from me. I didn't get your call because I left my phone in my jacket in the office."

"Are you still hungry?" she asked. "I can still heat it up."

"Yes, I would appreciate it if you could fix me a small plate and just heat it in the microwave. I'm going to get changed."

As he went to change, Megan heated a plate for both of them. By the time he returned to the dining room, she had prepared their places at the table and he sat down to a lovely dinner.

As they quietly discussed their day, Amir placed a hand over Megan's as he looked at her appreciatively. He was grateful to have such a wonderful woman in his life, for of all the women he'd known, she truly fulfilled his every need. They'd been together now for over two months and had yet to have an argument, which he knew was unprecedented. He knew he wasn't the easiest person to get along with, but Megan complemented him so well. He was normally somewhat on edge when it came to his work, so intent was he on everything being just so, but since being with Megan, he knew he'd become more relaxed and easy-going around the cast and crew. He could feel the difference on the set, and he noticed that people seemed more willing to approach him now, and he was glad for that.

After dinner, they retired to the living room where Amir lit the fire in the fireplace and they settled down on the couch, each of them deciding to spend time involved in a separate activity. Megan grabbed her tote bag and pulled out a gripping paperback thriller she'd started, while Amir read the online news on his laptop. He loved these relaxed evenings together, it was a different experience for him. In the past, he was always taking a different woman out to clubs and restaurants and was rarely home in the evenings, but he loved being home with Megan. He'd never considered himself domestic before, but…_never say never _he thought.

"Darling, there's a new dinner club downtown I'd like to take you to Friday. What do you think?"

Megan grinned. "I'd love to. What's it called?"

"It's called P3. I'll pick you up at eight."

It was about 9:00 when the instant message tone sounded on his laptop. The sound jarred Megan from her book and she glanced over to see who had IM'd him. She wasn't surprised when she saw who it was.

DiamondDiva: Good evening, Amir.

AK1000: Good evening, Joanna. How are you?

DiamondDiva: Much better now, thanks to you. I don't know how I would have overcome that part if you hadn't taken the time to help me with it.

AK1000: Not at all, it's my job.

DiamondDiva: I know, but still, I appreciate you going out of your way to help and encourage me. And thank you again for lunch. You didn't have to do that, but it really did help me. I was seriously starting to question if I belonged here.

AK1000: I've never made a mistake in the talent we've hired, but it's up to you to succeed. You're doing much better now, so I'm sure you'll be just fine.

DiamondDiva: Thank you. Goodnight, Amir.

AK1000: Goodnight, Joanna.

As he closed his IM window, he noticed Megan looking at his screen, although she didn't say anything. She went back to reading her book, but he could tell that she wasn't really reading it.

"Megan, are you all right, my dear?"

She put down her book and tried to sound nonchalant, but failing. "Yes, I'm all right."

Amir didn't want to leave anything unsettled only to have it come back later to haunt him, so he felt it best to get this out into the open. "Did you want to talk about anything?"

She sighed deeply. No, she really didn't want to talk about it, but then knew she'd have to if she was going to get any answers. "Joanna was the reason you were late tonight? And you took her to lunch today?"

"Yes, she's been having trouble with her singing because she was still so emotional over breaking up with Erik, and I just tried to encourage her and help her work through it. All newcomers go through a period of breaking in, but her break-up with Erik made it just that much harder for her."

"Do you take such a personal interest in everyone in the cast?" she asked.

Amir felt an initial spark of anger at this until he caught himself. _Why am I getting angry? It's a reasonable question under the circumstances. _"No, I don't, but perhaps I should, because we've lost a number of newcomers who weren't able to take the pressures of their first year. If I'd been there to offer encouragement, perhaps they wouldn't have been so quick to give up."

_She's jealous _he thought, _but she needn't be. She doesn't know how I feel about her. If only I could tell her…_

"Megan…" He gently stroked her face as he leaned towards her. He kissed her, and he was glad when she returned his kiss. "There's only you," he whispered. "Only you."

_

* * *

Thursday evening, Burrito Express _

Christine was chasing a cherry tomato around her salad bowl. "He's always there for me. He's been kind, generous, he even saved me from getting mugged last Saturday, and he's taking me out this Saturday."

"Okay, so what's the problem?" Megan looked up from her plate.

"I know he seems perfect, but so did Rick. I just don't know if I really want to be in a relationship with him…I mean, I don't love him."

"Of course you don't, but you've only been away from Erik a little over a month. You can't get over someone that quickly. But if you had a chance to go back to Erik now, would you?"

Christine thought about this. Her heart and her body would have said yes immediately, but her mind wasn't so sure. "I can't. He threw me out, remember?"

"But what if he regretted it? What if he wanted you back?" Megan knew it was a long shot, but she was a true believer in the power of love.

Christine shook her head sadly. "No, I couldn't. This wasn't just about him throwing me out. He didn't _believe_ me. He thought I lied to him. He doesn't _trust_ me, Megan. Can you understand what I'm saying?"

Yes she understood, but she needed to know one more thing. "Christine, do you still love him?"

She looked down at her plate before answering. "I'll always love him."

"Then why stay with Roan?"

"Because he loves me. He hasn't actually said it yet, but I can tell."

"Is he good in bed?" she asked slyly.

"Megan!"

"Christine, we've known each other for a long time, so are you going to sit there now and tell me that that's not at least part of the reason you're staying with him?"

Christine glared at her, but couldn't deny it. "Well, maybe a little bit…"

"A little bit?"

"Enough! I don't want to talk about this any more!" She hesitated before going on. "How's it going with Joanna?"

Megan took a deep breath before starting. "She IMs Amir just about every night, and she's having trouble with her part right now, so he feels like he has to help her so she doesn't drop out. What do you think about that?"

Christine sipped her iced tea as she considered it. "Well, I don't know about giving you an objective opinion, but from where I sit, I'd say to keep an eye on her."

Megan looked down and began cutting up her chile relleno, perhaps a bit more aggressively than necessary. "I brought lunch to Amir on Monday, but I didn't see her, so she must have been backstage. I don't think I'll be taking him any more lunches, though…I don't want to start acting like a jealous girlfriend." She frowned as she thought about this.

Christine smiled. "Well, don't lose too much sleep over it, hon. He loves you, even if he won't say it."

Megan returned a small smile. She figured she needed all the encouragement she could get at this point.

"_Who_ loves you?"

They both looked up and saw a smiling Alex, who had just walked up to their table. He was dressed casually, yet still looking very handsome in a shirt, jacket and blue jeans with a baseball cap pulled down over his forehead, apparently not working the kitchen tonight.

"Megan's boyfriend," Christine filled in. "Aren't you working tonight?"

"Naw, that was just to help my mom over the holidays. I'm at the D.A.'s office now. How've you ladies been?"

Christine shrugged. "Okay, I guess. Lots of changes." She looked over at Megan, who merely nodded.

"I know what you mean. Well, I just wanted to stop by and say hi. You two take care now," he grinned and winked knowingly at Megan before walking away.

They continued to look at him as he walked out of the restaurant. "Such a nice guy," Christine commented.

"Yeah," Megan agreed. "Are you sure he's gay?" She wondered about him winking at her again.

"Well, what do you call it when you see two men kissing like there's no tomorrow?" She again visualized the night she'd walked up on Alex and his friend in the midst of a passionate kiss.

"Such a pity…" Megan sighed.

_

* * *

Friday evening _

Megan took her time getting ready for their date after she returned home from school. Going out on the town with Amir was always so much fun. He knew so many people, which shouldn't have been surprising considering his position as musical director of the Phil, but wherever they went, he seemed to be on a first name basis with almost everyone.

She took her time fixing her hair and applying her make-up for she wanted to look sophisticated if he was taking her downtown. She carefully applied the perfume he'd given her for Christmas, _Grande Jeté_, and lastly, donned the black, knee-length halter dress he'd also given her for Christmas. She looked at herself in the full-length mirror in her bedroom and thought he'd be very pleased. The dress was by Versace and her shoes were by Farragamo, but she knew that when they went out, he would be dressed as stylishly as she.

It was 7:45 when she had finished getting ready, so she decided to wait in the living room while reading her thriller. She was only a quarter of the way through it, but she was unable to put it down. The next time she looked at the clock, it was 8:15.

Her initial reaction was irritation that he was late, and then concern that something could have happened to him. She quickly dialed his cell phone.

He picked it up immediately. "Hello?" He sounded irritable.

"Amir? Are you all right? We were supposed to go out tonight."

In the background, she heard him say, _"Oh shit." _

"Amir? What's happened?"

She could still hear him in the background, somewhat muffled. _"Joanna, go on. You know what to do." _When he came back on the line, he seemed somewhat flustered. "Darling, I'm sorry, we've had an emergency here. Two people are out sick and we've been scrambling trying to find replacements. I won't be able to get home until at least nine."

Megan was disappointed, but she understood. "That's all right, babe, don't worry about it. Just do what you need to do and I'll talk to you later."

"You're wonderful, darling. I'll talk to you later. Bye." And he was gone.

Megan put the phone down and went back to the bedroom to get undressed. She took off her designer dress and looked at it wistfully as she placed it back on the hanger, vaguely wondering when she'd have the chance to wear it again. She threw on an oversized tee shirt and a pair of socks and went to the bathroom to wash the make-up off her face. She understood that what happened tonight was unavoidable, that Amir had to stay to help sort things out, but she bristled at hearing him call Joanna's name. _At least he wasn't late because of her this time _she thought.

It was a little after 8:30 and still too early to go to bed. She went to the kitchen and prepared a late dinner of leftover meatloaf with ketchup on the side, green beans, mashed potatoes, and a glass of low-fat milk and placed it on a tray as she took it to her bedroom with her book. She settled herself as comfortably as possible and smiled. _This isn't so bad…I've got everything I need now, food, a good book, and I'm turning my phone off. Time to relax! _As she again became engrossed in her book, she found that she was actually having a very good time by herself…

_

* * *

Saturday morning _

Amir awoke slowly around 7:30, but laid in bed for awhile. He'd tried calling Megan last night after he'd gotten home around nine, but she hadn't answered either her home phone or cell. Is she angry with me? He would try to call her later. Since he wasn't able to take her out last night, he would call her to see if she'd like to go out tonight.

Amir awoke slowly around 7:30, but laid in bed for awhile. He'd tried calling Megan last night after he'd gotten home around nine, but she hadn't answered either her home phone or cell. He would try to call her later. Since he wasn't able to take her out last night, he would call her to see if she'd like to go out tonight. 

Last night's emergency was a fiasco, but because Joanna knew the pieces so well, she was able to sing two different parts, thus saving the production and him from embarrassment. He'd have to thank her somehow for her excellent performance.

When he finally got out of bed, he took a shower and then dressed casually for a morning at home. He prepared himself a simple breakfast of cereal and orange juice and ate it as he read the online news. He received an IM almost immediately.

DiamondDiva: Good morning.

AK1000: Good morning. Up rather early, aren't we?

DiamondDiva: Yes, I'm a morning person.

AK1000: Joanna, I really must thank you for your excellent performance last night. You saved the production.

DiamondDiva: You're welcome. I'm glad I was able to help.

AK1000: I'd like to take you to lunch sometime this week to thank you.

DiamondDiva: That's really sweet, but you really don't have to. I'd hoped to practice during my lunches this week.

AK1000: I'm impressed by your dedication, but I really would like to thank you properly for your fine showing last night. How about dinner Friday?

DiamondDiva: I'd love to! Thank you!

AK1000: Good, then that's the plan. Have a good weekend, Joanna. Bye.

DiamondDiva: Bye!

Amir closed his IM window and thought about Megan. He wondered if he could reach her now and dialed her number. When she didn't pick up her home phone, he tried her cell, but she still didn't answer. He was beginning to feel concern and decided to pay her a visit after breakfast.

It was around 9:00 when he pulled up in front of her apartment, and he noticed her car was gone. When he went up to her door and knocked, there was no answer. He thought it was possible she'd gone grocery shopping or went to do laundry, but she normally wasn't a morning person. As he went back to his car and drove away, he decided to call her later, but failing that, he would just have to wait for her to call him.

_

* * *

Saturday afternoon _

Erik was having lunch out on his patio when Amir came by to visit. Amir helped himself to a bowl of hearty meatball soup that was in a pot on the stove and then sprinkled some shredded parmesan cheese over the top, along with some chopped parsley. He cut a slice of French bread to dip in the broth, and he was all set. He brought his bowl out to the patio and sat across from Erik as he admired the view.

"What's new, my friend?" he asked for openers.

"I hear Joanna helped save the show last night."

He was surprised that Erik had heard of it so quickly. "Yes, she sang for two parts. She was a lifesaver."

"I'm glad to hear she's doing well."

Amir dipped his bread into the soup and took a bite. It was delicious. "Want to go to that new club downtown, P3?"

"Tonight? What happened to Megan?"

"I don't know, to tell you the truth. I've tried calling her and even went to her apartment, but she seems to have disappeared. Strangest thing."

"I'm sure she'll turn up. As a matter of fact, yes, I would like to go. I could stand to get out a bit."

"This soup is delicious by the way. I'd like the recipe. Have you given any more thought to getting Christine back?"

Erik snorted. "There's been little else on my mind, but I still haven't thought of how to do it. I could use a break."

"I'll pick you up at eight."

_

* * *

Saturday evening _

Erik was dressed in a sleek black suit, vest, and shirt with a red silk tie and handkerchief when Amir knocked on his door promptly at eight. When he opened to him, he saw that Amir was dressed elegantly in all black.

They took the Maybach, and as they drove down the still busy streets towards downtown, Erik wondered about this new restaurant. "So what is this place like?"

"It's a dinner club with dancing. It's dark, quiet, and very modern from what I've read. They serve California nouvelle cuisine."

Erik had always thought it rather ironic that nouvelle cuisine would try to mimic art so that it would be almost too pretty to eat, and then be charged twice as much for half as much food. If one wished to have a full meal, it would require purchasing two dinners.

When they arrived a P3, they were greeted by a uniformed valet who parked their car, and another who graciously opened the wide wooden door to the lobby. The building was one story and had tropical palms and plants attractively scattered around the grounds. When they entered, there was the usual coat check counter to the side, and then the entrance into the restaurant. The décor was ultra modern, the lighting coming from softly lit wall sconces and a small hurricane lamp on each table. All the tables were covered with white tablecloths, and meals and beverages were served with fine china and crystal. The room was very elegantly appointed, and there was the low buzz of conversation from well-dressed diners.

Amir spoke to the attractive hostess who led them to a quiet table by the wall and left them two menus. As he looked around the large room, Erik noticed that the designers had succeeded in creating a very sleek dining room capable of holding many, yet maintaining an air of intimacy by the imaginative use of lighting. When they turned to their menus, they saw a number of wonderful appetizers, entrees, beverages and desserts, Erik ordering sea bass and Amir selecting the ahi tuna.

As they spoke quietly over dinner, they both commented on the ambiance and comfort of their surroundings. Their entrees were delicious, but as expected, despite its attractiveness, was not totally filling. If they hadn't ordered additional side dishes, they would have still been hungry.

After dinner, they decided to forego dessert, opting instead to sit on the next level which held a band and small dance floor. At P3, since the music was soft and mellow, the dance floor and band were in the same room as the restaurant, but in the back on another level just a few feet higher than the dining room. When they'd climbed the carpeted steps to the second level, they were surprised to see how wide and spacious it was. There were quite a few people seated at the small tables and chairs scattered throughout the dim room, and there were several couples on the dance floor which was more brightly lit. There was a low stage at the far end of the dance floor and a pianist and bassist were currently playing as the couples danced.

They found a table on the left side of the room and were soon approached by a waitress to order drinks, and they both ordered vodka tonics. Amir was enjoying their evening out, but wished he could have brought Megan for he was certain she would also have enjoyed it. As they watched the couples dance, he was still wondering what could have happened to her when Erik suddenly rose from his seat and walked to the other end of the room.

* * *

Christine was having a wonderful time with Roan. She enjoyed getting dressed up to go out on the town, and they'd just had a wonderful dinner. She was enjoying an after-dinner cocktail and had laughed out loud at one of Roan's anecdotes about Victoria. For someone who worked in the publicity department, she imagined he would hear all sort of stories about the cast and crew. 

She had asked about Rick and how he was doing, and Roan had told her that it looked like Rick was interested in one of the cast members, and she was glad to hear it. He would always be one of her dearest friends, and she wished him only happiness.

Roan chose this moment to excuse himself for a few minutes to freshen up in the men's room, and Christine smiled when he kissed her hand before he left. The band on stage had started to play a mellow romantic piece which she recognized and loved. She was enjoying the couples dancing to the familiar strains when she was suddenly aware of someone standing close to her. When she turned, a hand was outstretched to her and she heard a voice say, "May I have this dance?"

_She froze…she never thought she'd hear that voice again…_


	47. A Matter of Trust

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: I love my reviewers. A special thank you to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101 for their help and suggestions on this difficult chapter. And also to my wonderful husband for his valuable input.

Chapter 47

A Matter of Trust

_February 4, Saturday _

_9:30 p.m., P3_

Christine looked up, and it was _him_. She was in shock. He looked down at her gently, his hand still outstretched, while myriad thoughts raced through her mind… _You told me to go, and just two days later I saw you in bed with Joanna. I even waited for you, hoping you'd come back, but in four weeks, there was no call, no word, nothing. And now you want me to dance with you? Do you take me for a fool? _

She couldn't speak, but only shake her head very slightly in the negative. Erik lowered his hand, but didn't leave. He pulled up Roan's vacated chair and drew it close so he could look into her eyes, and she saw that he gazed at her lovingly. _I thought you were still with Joanna…why are you here? _

"Christine," he said softly, and it sounded like music in her ears. "I've made a terrible mistake. Please forgive me. I love you."

She was speechless, but he went on. "I need you in my life, Christine, I can't do this alone…please come back to me, I need you."

Her face showed no emotion, but he could see her eyes begin to water. She looked away, but he gently brought her face back to him.

"Christine?"

Through glistening eyes, she asked softly, "Come back?"

"Yes, my love…please. Come back to me, tonight, now," he said earnestly.

Christine couldn't believe it. "But what about Roan?"

"I don't care about Roan. Come away with me, and we can go home together, right now."

A single tear fell, though she'd shown no expression, and her words came out in a rush. "Why didn't you believe me when I told you I didn't do anything? You accused me of sleeping with Roan when I didn't. Why didn't you believe me?"

A look of pain and regret crossed his handsome face. "I'm sorry, Christine. I'm sorry I didn't believe you, but none of that matters any more. I don't care about what's happened between you and Roan, I just want you back, my love. Please, come back with me," he pleaded.

She shook her head as she tried to get the words out. "I-I can't…it's too late."

"Why? Why is it too late? Are you in love with him?" he asked angrily.

She shook her head and cried, "Erik, you can't love me if you don't _trust _me!" She tried to push herself away from him, but he couldn't let her go until he'd had a chance to speak with her, and he took her hand to keep her from leaving, even as she pulled against him.

"Christine," he murmured softly. "Please, let's go somewhere quiet where we can talk…"

Roan returned in time to see Christine trying to pull away from Erik, but he wasn't letting her go. He quickly made his way over to his table, enraged at Erik's gall.

He stopped short at the table and looked at Christine, her face tear-streaked as she suddenly took notice of him and looked up. Erik also looked up at that moment, the abject hostility on Roan's face and in his manner unmistakable. Erik glanced over at Christine and she looked frightened. He turned back to Roan and slowly rose, pushing his chair back as he kept his eyes trained on him. Their part of the room seemed to have quieted considerably at Roan's abrupt appearance as those seated near them nervously watched, and he could tell that the wait staff had already been alerted to possible trouble.

"I see that you're finished," Erik smirked.

Roan stood his ground. "Apparently not with you, Dupont."

He pushed his chair a few inches towards Roan. "I'm sorry, but I seem to have taken your seat."

With a glare, Roan pushed it aside roughly.

"Be careful, being in public may not save you."

"I wasn't looking to be saved," he said angrily. Looking down, he asked, "Christine, are you all right?"

Christine remained silent as she fearfully looked from one to the other. Roan was very tense, and it was obvious that he was prepared to fight for her. But she was again amazed by Erik's apparent calm in the face of impending violence. It was clear that he was neither afraid of Roan nor intimidated by him, unlike those seated around them.

Roan glared at Erik and heatedly challenged, "Here, or later?"

"This is neither the time nor the place, Richards," he said calmly. "Perhaps another time." With that, he glanced at Christine and nodded to her gently before returning to his table from where Amir had been watching, and they both left.

Roan angrily watched him walk away before pulling his chair back and sitting next to Christine. He was vaguely aware of the people at the tables around them starting to converse again.

"Are you all right, Christine?" he asked, concerned. "Would you like a drink?"

"I'm fine," she said softly, although she wasn't at all. She was deeply shaken by what had almost occurred, and the furtive stares of those seated near them didn't help. "Please, let's go home."

As Roan drove Christine back to her apartment, angry thoughts of Erik Dupont filled his mind…the way he looked at her, his maddening calmness when he'd challenged him, his damned smirk… _If he still loves her, why didn't he stand up for her and accept my challenge?_ "Christine, what did he say to you?"

She'd been thinking about their conversation and the frightening events afterwards over and over again. _He said he wants me back and that what happened doesn't matter any more. But it DOES! _She took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking. "He wants me back."

Roan wasn't surprised to hear it, yet Christine didn't go with him. _Why?_ It was obvious she still had feelings for him judging by the way she was crying, still, she didn't go with him. _Could this mean she's finally developing feelings for _me? This thought cheered him somewhat, but he still wasn't convinced.

It was almost 10:00 when they reached her apartment, and while Roan made himself comfortable on the couch, Christine put a kettle on the stove before going to her bedroom to change. She came back out dressed comfortably in a matching knit top and pants and made them both a cup of tea. She settled herself on the couch next to him as she snuggled close to him.

"Christine, how do you feel about me?" he asked unexpectedly.

She didn't answer immediately, but when she did, she sounded certain. "I like you very much," she began. "You've been a wonderful friend to me, and I treasure our friendship. I'm hoping it can be more in time."

"And what about Erik? How do you feel about him now?"

She knew this was coming, but felt it was only fair that he knew where he stood.

"I'll always love him," she said truthfully, "but I can't go back to him because he just doesn't trust me, and you can't have a relationship without trust."

"Why doesn't he trust you?" he asked curiously.

Christine sighed. "I really don't know. I never gave him reason not to."

Roan pondered this but was satisfied with her answers. He'd wondered whether or not she had developed feelings for him, but with Erik always lurking in the background, he was never sure. But now that he'd heard it from her own lips, he felt better about it.

"Christine, I want to be with you tonight. Why don't you pack a small bag and come back to the apartment with me, and then you can spend the night."

Christine thought about it. _What he really means is that he wants to sleep with me. I enjoyed sleeping with him last week, but do I really want to now? But I'm not going back to Erik…so why hold back any longer?_

"Okay, it'll just take me a few minutes."

_

* * *

10:00 p.m. _

Amir hadn't been at all worried about Erik this evening, but only became concerned when he saw Roan angrily rush over to them, ready to fight for Christine. Erik had behaved properly by taking the high road and walking away, but he didn't doubt for a moment that Mr. Richards took this as a sign of weakness. He hoped for his sake that he never put it to the test.

As he drove them back to the Phil, he noticed that Erik was quiet and wondered what he was feeling. "A penny for your thoughts, mon ami?"

Erik looked over at him and smiled crookedly. "The boy's a hot-head, but then I suppose we all were at that age," he said quietly.

Amir nodded. One of the benefits of getting older was gaining perspective and wisdom. "Did you get a chance to talk to her?"

"A little. She said it was too late."

"Why is it too late?"

"She said I couldn't love her if I didn't trust her."

After they'd stepped out of the elevator in his apartment, Erik walked back to his bedroom to change as Amir followed. Amir had removed his tie and unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt for comfort as he sat in a comfortable overstuffed chair while Erik undressed. They'd spoken little on the drive back, but he knew Erik wanted to talk about it.

"So what did she mean when she said you didn't trust her?"

Erik had removed his shirt and tie and had rolled up his belt. He was now removing his trousers. "When I accused her of being with that boy, she denied it and I didn't believe her." He hung up his trousers and removed his briefs. "How could I?"

Amir looked at him in the buff and thought that Erik looked as fit today as the day they left Persia. His stomach was flat and taut, the muscles of his stomach and abdomen well-defined. "Perhaps you should have."

Erik turned to him. "The things the boy said were true. How could he have known those things if he hadn't slept with her?" He went into his closet and retrieved a robe.

"I don't know, but neither do you because you didn't ask her. It's not too late to talk to her, Erik."

"_She_ said it was too late."

"No, you said that she said you can't love someone if you don't trust them. She didn't say she didn't want you. It's not too late."

They walked back into the kitchen where Erik prepared some tea. "I don't know what to do," he lamented quietly. "After tonight, I don't know if she'd even want to talk to me. And the last time I went to her place, that boy was there. If you were in my place, if it was Megan, what would you do, old man?"

"I'd keep trying until I spoke to her. If you love her, you'll do whatever you must to get her back."

Erik quietly sipped his tea as he pondered this. "How's everything going with Megan?"

Amir wasn't prepared for this sudden change of direction and sipped his tea as he thought about it. "We're fine so far, but she seems concerned about Joanna."

"Should she be?" he asked as he looked at him carefully.

Amir sipped his tea again and shook his head before replying, "No, of course not. I'm helping her now because she was getting discouraged, and I didn't want her dropping out like so many of the newcomers do their first year." He noticed that Erik was still looking at him and found that it made him uncomfortable. He finished off his tea and took his mug over to the sink to rinse out. "It's getting late. I'd better get going."

_

* * *

10:45 p.m. _

It was almost a quarter to eleven when he left Erik's, but rather than head home, Amir decided to visit Megan. He knew she should be home at this hour and again wondered what had happened to her. He saw her car when he pulled up in front of her apartment building and was relieved. He walked up to her second story apartment and knocked gently. In a few moments, the door opened and Megan stood there in her bathrobe. She looked surprised to see him, but he thought she looked beautiful.

"Amir? What are you doing here at this hour?" She held the door open for him to come in.

"Actually, I wanted to make sure you hadn't fallen off the face of the earth."

When she closed the door, she turned around and embraced him warmly. "I haven't heard from you all weekend and I wondered what happened."

He kissed her, glad to be with her again. "I called you several times every day, cherie, but you didn't pick up. I even came by, but I'd miss you. I got worried."

"You called me and came by?" She walked into her kitchen and bedroom to check her telephone, and then retrieved her purse to check her cell phone. She returned to him sheepishly. "I turned off all my phones Friday so I could read my book, and I forgot to turn them back on! I wondered why no one was calling me. I'm sorry…"

"That's all right, cherie, as long as you're all right," he smiled.

He kissed her again when Megan noticed how he was dressed. "Did you go someplace?"

Amir grinned. "Erik and I went to that new club I wanted to take you to. It was very nice, you'd like it. Maybe we can go next week."

"I'd love to," she grinned. "Um, since you're here, why don't you just spend the night with me?"

He embraced her again. "I thought you'd never ask…"

_

* * *

11:00 p.m. _

Her breathing was returning to normal and she wearily closed her eyes. She knew she'd sleep soundly after such a vigorous workout. Christine thought again about tonight's events and her relationship with Roan. She did like him very much and felt closer to him, but could she ever fall in love with him? She thought of Erik and of how he had pleaded with her to return to him. She'd wanted to, desperately, but what would he do the next time he thought she lied to him? Would he leave her again? Throw her out? Sleep with someone else? She almost wished she could just forget him, but she couldn't help but think of him each and every time she stepped into her beauatiful car…she couldn't even turn on the radio without her song being on…and he'd even taken care of her future… Soon, she drifted off into a troubled sleep…

Roan held her in his arms for the last half hour as he listened to her even breathing, but now he could feel her shoulders shake slightly and hear her gasps as she cried in her sleep. _Why is she crying? What is she dreaming about? Is she crying over Erik, or the fact that she'd rather be with him than with me? _This was the second time she'd given herself to him, the second time he'd made love to her. She was his now, but he didn't believe for a moment that Erik would give up. After all, _he_ wouldn't if he were in his place. But no matter what it took, Christine was his now, and _no one_ would take her away.

* * *

Erik lay awake in bed, staring at the dark ceiling. His curtains were open and he looked out the window and could see the stars. He wondered about his life and the people who mattered to him. Amir was his closest friend, but if he and Megan were to get married, he would be alone. Amir would visit him from time to time, of course, but their relationship could never be the same. Though he was glad that his friend had found happiness with one woman, this thought still made him sad for he didn't like the idea of being alone again. It had been enough when there was just Amir and his love for Christine from afar, but soon, he might have no one. 

When he finally fell asleep, he slept soundly and again dreamt of Christine. Whenever he saw her, he would make an attempt to approach her, but something would always keep him from her. Whenever he would see her with that boy, Christine would never see him, but Roan would turn and look directly at him and smile evilly. Erik thought this was just his way of rubbing it in that Christine was his now, yet it seemed somehow to be more than that. And in the back of his mind, he seemed to feel rather than hear the words: _You can't love me if you don't trust me…_

_

* * *

Sunday evening _

The weekend was winding down and Christine had just finished printing out an assignment as she and Roan relaxed in her living room over a movie. She was prepared now for her classes on Monday and decided to check her mail before hopping into the shower. _Nothing but junk mail. I need to up my spam controls_ she thought.

"Can I get you some more tea before I take a shower?" she asked as she moved her laptop to the coffee table.

"No, that's all right, love," he said distractedly. "The movie's almost over."

"Okay, I won't be long," she called as she walked back to the bathroom.

It was almost 10:00 and there was about another half hour on the movie. Roan decided he would go home soon since he'd have an early day tomorrow. As he focused on the action onscreen, he was suddenly distracted by a tone from the laptop. He glanced over at it and noticed that an IM window had popped up.

EDupont: Good evening, Christine.

He stared at it, surprised that it was Erik Dupont. He merely sat there for a moment, staring at the IM, slowly becoming excited by the possibilities. He couldn't possibly waste such an opportunity…

AriaMaven: Good evening, Erik.

EDupont: Did I catch you at a bad time?

AriaMaven: I was about to go to bed.

EDupont: This won't take long. I wanted to apologize for last night. I'm sorry the situation escalated as it did, but it couldn't be helped. When I saw you, I felt I had to take the opportunity to talk with you.

Roan wondered if he'd be able to find out what Erik planned in his pursuit of Christine.

AriaMaven: I was surprised to see you, but I'm with Roan now.

EDupont: I know, but I felt I needed to talk to you to explain why I acted the way I did, and why I was wrong.

AriaMaven: What do you mean?

EDupont: I don't want to do this online. I'd like to see you so we can talk face to face.

AriaMaven: I don't think so. I'm with Roan now and there's really nothing more to say.

EDupont: Christine, please allow me to explain why things have happened as they have. This is too important to let go.

AriaMaven: You can explain it to me now, but I don't want to meet with you.

EDupont: Why not?

AriaMaven: Because I want to move on with my life.

EDupont: Are you in love with him?

Roan snorted softly at this.

AriaMaven: I don't know, maybe.

EDupont: Christine, when I saw you last night, I saw the way you looked at me when you first saw me. Can you tell me now that you feel nothing for me?

Roan thought back to his conversation with Christine last night after they'd left the restaurant, and she'd told him honestly that she would always love Erik. Apparently he'd seen it in her eyes. He hesitated as he tried to think of an appropriate response.

EDupont: Christine?

AriaMaven: That's right, I feel nothing for you.

EDupont: You're lying.

Roan snorted. He would have said the same thing.

AriaMaven: Goodnight, Erik.

He turned off the computer before Erik could respond. A few minutes later, Christine came out dressed in her bathrobe. She looked over at her laptop.

"Did you turn the computer off for me?"

"Yeah, the movie's over now. Were you going to go to bed right away?"

"Maybe in another half hour," she smiled as she snuggled close to him on the couch.

"Mmm, you smell good." He nuzzled her and opened her robe slightly, and noting that she was nude underneath, took hold of her breast, running his fingers over her nipple. She felt so soft and warm. There was no way Erik was going to take this away from him. He reclined on the couch and pulled her down with him, opening her robe further. He wanted her before he left for the night, so he unzipped his pants and pulled himself free as he shifted on the couch to place Christine beneath him.

She was somewhat surprised when he took her fully clothed, but she felt rather wanton having him pull her robe open and then make love to her before he left, and she felt herself responding to him lustily. He groaned as he thrust into her, and she watched his face at the moment of release to see the play of emotions as he came into her. He was so handsome, and she loved that he found her so desirable.

He was still trying to catch his breath as he reluctantly pulled himself off of her and kissed her lightly as he stood to rearrange himself. She rose from the couch and saw him to the door as they said goodnight, and she returned to the bathroom to take another shower…

_

* * *

11:00 p.m. _

Erik was still sitting before his laptop, thinking about his conversation with Christine. Granted, he didn't feel good about it, but on the other hand, neither did it feel _right. _He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was just something about it that was _off._ He finally decided to turn off his computer and make a drink.

With his glass in hand, he went to stand by the mantel and look into the fire as he thought about her. "I'm with Roan now." _She said that twice._ "That's right, I feel nothing for you."_ She was lying. I know I wasn't wrong when she first saw me. If she felt nothing, she wouldn't have started crying. _He continued to ponder this for several minutes, but was still unable to come to any conclusions. He thought about what to do, and finally, came to a decision.

He walked over to his desk and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. He'd have to make a draft or two first, for this had to be perfect…

_My Dearest Christine…_


	48. Liar

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is all mine.

Author's Note: Thank-you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 48

Liar

_February 6_

_Monday_

He'd started writing to her last night, but after numerous drafts, had to put it aside when nothing could convey his feelings. He'd fallen asleep at his desk and had woken up in the night, and half-asleep, stumbled to bed.

When he awoke the next morning, he couldn't remember going to bed, but he again took his place at his desk, and as he did first thing on most mornings, he thought about Christine.

_What is it that I want this letter to say? It'd be so much easier if I could just forget her…but I can't. What is it about her that I can't let go? Christine's an orphan, a student, certainly not special in any way aside from her voice. She's beautiful and intelligent, certainly, but what can she do, really, besides sing? I've met women of high station and means in many countries, beautiful, accomplished, gentle, and caring. I've been all over this world, lived amongst kings and princes, I've experienced things no one should ever have to, and I've gained more riches than one can imagine. Nothing in this world has been kept from me, but the love of a woman. In all my travels, in all the world, only Christine has ever fulfilled that which I lack…only she… _

He'd gone for a drive up north to clear his mind and to hopefully find some inspiration for his letter. His feelings seemed to be a jumble of hopes and dreams, and he had only to unravel what was in his heart and get it on paper in such a way that it didn't sound desperate. He'd driven north to see the redwoods and had gotten out and walked among them. During his walk, he'd come upon a fallen trunk and noticed that although separated from its root, the massive tree still sprouted life which was green and grew upward towards the sunlight. For some reason he was very impressed by this sight and had studied it for several minutes before moving on through the forest. On his drive back to the city, he felt refreshed and renewed, ready to return to the task at hand. He thought again about the fallen tree and its trunk that still carried life, and he returned home by mid-afternoon.

He finally finished the brief letter by early evening and it was now folded and sealed. He would leave it at her door tonight.

_

* * *

11:00 p.m. _

It felt strange climbing the stairs to her apartment again. There was a time not long ago when he thought he'd never see the inside of this building again. But now, as he neared her apartment, he felt an unexpected nervousness. _She's just on the other side of the door_ he thought. As he stopped just outside, he could hear the muted sounds of a television. _She's still up watching TV. _

He removed the envelope from his jacket pocket and very quietly slipped it under the door. That done, he turned and made his way back down the stairs. _If she doesn't see it tonight, she'll surely see it in the morning_.

* * *

Roan was still up watching the news on Christine's couch as she slept peacefully in his lap. They spent a fair amount of time together now, which he enjoyed, and if he wasn't at her apartment, Christine was at his. They didn't always spend the night together for Roan didn't wish to smother her, but he noticed that unlike his other girlfriends, Christine never tried to monopolize his time either. But ironically, he realized that he wouldn't have minded if she did. 

It was about 11:00 when he happened to turn his head and catch sight of some movement near the entrance. When he turned around fully to look, he saw an envelope being silently slipped under the door. He gently moved Christine's head off his lap and quickly walked over to look out the peep hole. He didn't see anyone from his vantage point behind the door, so he picked up the envelope to see what it was. It almost looked like an invitation judging by the quality of the stationery, but it was addressed to Christine in flowing script, and when he turned it around, he saw the envelope sealed with an elegant red wax "D." _This has to be from Erik Dupont_ he thought, irritated. He looked back at the couch and saw that Christine was still asleep. He walked quietly to the bathroom and locked the door.

He closed the lid on the commode and made himself comfortable as he opened the envelope as quietly as possible. He thought he noticed a light fragrance as he opened the seal, and so he held the envelope up to his nose. _That's a man's cologne. Hmm, it's nice… _

He pulled out the matching crème-colored paper that had been folded in thirds and now unfolded it. It was a short letter, but in the same flowing script.

_My dearest Christine,_

_It is a difficult thing to be made to look at one's mistakes, but when doing so can not only make one a better man, but also gain him the world, then such a man would be foolish indeed to not examine himself closely. _

_Seeing you again the other night was a surprise and unexpected pleasure, and our conversation much too brief, yet your words still ring in my ears. You were right to question my motives, and you are correct in that one cannot love without trust. _

_I would like very much to speak with you, Christine, face to face, for I believe there has been a gross misunderstanding for which I take full responsibility. Please respond so that we may meet soon and I may correct this terrible wrong. _

_Erik_

Roan looked over the page after he'd read it, noting the beautiful hand, the words, the meaning. He was angry. It was obvious that Erik meant to steal Christine away. _Not if I can help it _he thought. He began to deliberate on his next move, hardly aware that he was tearing the letter into tiny pieces…

_

* * *

Wednesday _

Rehearsals had been progressing smoothly, and Amir was pleased to see that his presence wasn't needed as much now, which left time to take care of the business end of his responsibilities. The new production would begin in late March, and aside from rehearsals, the cast would have a welcome two-week break from performing..

Glancing at his calendar, he saw that he'd penned in Joanna's thank-you dinner for Friday evening, and then he planned to take Megan to P3 Saturday. Everything was on schedule and going smoothly…and this worried him. Normally, there was always something that needed fixing, negotiating, or straightening out, but since Megan, all areas of his life seemed so much better, calmer, and more organized. The very _lack _of problems worried him, because just how long could such a period of calm last before the storm? He shook his head at such at absurd notion. It was true that theatre folk were a superstitious lot, but to anticipate calamity in the face of calm was ridiculous. _If something does go wrong, it'll just be because that's the nature of things, not because of back luck. _

That night, Amir made dinner of fish tacos along with another margarita recipe and Megan had thoroughly enjoyed both. They amused themselves that evening by playing an exciting new board game which lasted a couple hours, and afterwards, relaxed on the couch as Megan returned to her book and Amir did some online research as they listened to some soft jazz and sipped margaritas.

"Darling, do you mind that we don't go out all the time?" Amir asked unexpectedly.

Megan set her drink down. "No, of course not. I love staying at home with you. Why? Did you want to go out more?"

"No, but that's just it. I enjoy staying home with you, too. I've never been with anyone I enjoy staying at home with so much."

"And that's a good thing, right?" she smiled. It seemed to Megan that Amir was somewhat befuddled, which amused her greatly, for Amir was normally not one to be confused about anything.

"Yes, I think it's a very good thing." He stroked her hair gently. "It's different, but very…nice." He loved these quiet evenings. They were each involved in their own pursuits, and Megan had never been one to pester him for his time and attention, which he appreciated.

They'd both been quietly reading when the instant message tone sounded. Megan looked over, but already knew who it was. Amir was about to respond when she reached over and took his hand.

"Babe, let it go tonight, please."

Amir glanced over at her, surprised that she would stop him. "I won't be long, darling, I promise." And he began to type in his response.

Megan sighed and put down her book. She got up from the couch and went to the kitchen to make some tea. She was angry. _Am I jealous? No, this isn't jealousy. I'd just like all of his attention for one night without interruption._

By the time the tea was ready, Amir had come into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I told you I wouldn't be long, cherie."

Megan turned around. "Amir, why does she have to IM you every single night? She sees you at work every day."

"I know, darling, but I feel responsible for her being here. She's a young, single woman alone in this country and she's having a tough time her first year. Victoria is breathing down her neck because she no doubt sees her as a threat, so she doesn't have anyone in the cast that'll befriend her right now."

"Well, don't think she can't take care of herself. I think you'd be surprised at how capable she probably is."

"Darling, if it were you in a foreign country, I would hope that you had someone to look after you, too."

Megan couldn't say anything more because she knew he was right, but on the other hand, _she_ would never try to take anyone's boyfriend away from them.

* * *

It was a clear evening as Erik stood on his patio and looked out over the city. The lights were so beautiful, and he could see cars making their way up and down the hills of San Francisco in the distance. There were rumors of rain for next week, but there were no clouds in the sky tonight. 

Although it had only been a couple days since he'd left the letter under Christine's door, he had expected a response by this time and couldn't believe that she would ignore him. Even if she didn't want his attention, he would have expected her to tell him so either by letter, email, instant message, or phone call. But to ignore him outright seemed wholly out of character.

He felt he had no choice but to try again, and he spent the rest of the evening composing another letter. This time, he would also leave a gift.

_

* * *

Thursday night _

_This had to be the best one yet. _Roan was sweaty, and Christine was, too. Their lovemaking was definitely getting better and much more vigorous. He wondered if this was an indication that Christine was becoming more committed to him.

He held her gently and they laid together in each other's arms. After awhile, Roan rose up from the bed and began to get dressed. They'd had a full afternoon and evening together, but he had an early morning meeting and had to go home. Christine watched as he pulled on his jacket.

"Thanks, babe, that was wonderful," he smiled as he leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, baby," she smiled wearily. She pulled the covers over her again as she turned out the lamp.

Roan let himself out of the apartment and locked the door behind him. He felt great. _Nothing like a good fuck to put you to sleep._ He was about to make his way toward the stairs when he looked down and saw something next to the door. It was another envelope, and a rose with a black ribbon tied around it. _Dupont left this here while we were fucking?_

He bent over and picked them up, and he smelled the rose. It was wonderfully fragrant, and it was beautiful. He felt a surge of anger as he looked at it and at the envelope. It seemed that everything Erik Dupont did was wonderful. _How could any woman not fall in love with that, mask or no mask? _

He stuffed both items in his jacket pocket as he made his way out of the building and to his car. He drove home quickly, angry thoughts churning.

When he arrived home, he hung his keys up on a hook and went to make himself a drink before walking back to the bedroom and taking the rose and the envelope out of his pocket. He sniffed the fragrant rose once more before tossing it in the trash and then sat himself comfortably on the side of the bed as he opened the envelope. He lifted the wax seal and took out the letter. Again, it was just one page, folded in thirds.

_My dearest Christine,_

_I was saddened not to receive your reply, but I cannot let this rest until I hear from your own lips that you no longer wish to see me, speak to me, or in any way be a part of my life. _

_This is a most difficult task, my darling, to ask to see you when you have already discounted my first letter, yet I must ask again if I am to lay this to rest. I must know unequivocally that this is your wish, and if it be so, then I shall nevermore attempt a communication with you. _

_I would ask that you meet with me Friday at 3:00 at the Russian Tea House on Hillcrest. _

_Erik_

Roan felt the anger surge up from within and he swiftly ripped the letter in half and crosswise before crumpling it into a ball and throwing it in the trash.

_

* * *

Friday morning _

Christine awoke from a good night's sleep and laid in bed for awhile, allowing her mind to wander. She remembered last night with Roan and how passionate he'd been. He was a wonderful lover and she felt herself drawing closer to him as they spent more time together, and she again wondered how far it could go. Could she ever fall in love with him? For a long time she didn't think she'd be able to consider him as more than a friend, but she had to admit that that seemed to be changing. He'd been so kind to her, attentive, and generous. They had good times together and always had lots to talk about, but being a realist, she knew it would just take time to know the real Roan.

The other night at P3 was the first time she'd seen him truly angry, and he'd been ready to fight for her. She couldn't remember ever seeing Rick angry. In their two years together, things had always been _nice. _They'd never argued or had problems together, and she'd never seen him truly upset, except for the day they broke up.

Her thoughts then naturally turned to Erik and to their two months together, which had been anything but dull. They'd had many wonderful, beautiful times together. She'd loved being with him and talking with him. Because he was older, he had a more global, mature view of life, and he was able to converse on so many subjects knowledgeably. He respected her and treated her as an equal, and despite his wealth and position in the community, never condescended to her. She'd seen him happy and sad, angry and crazed. He'd even protected her life with an eerie calm she'd never seen but in movies. Remembering all this invariably led her to remember that which she'd hoped to forget…that he was the love of her life.

Christine buried her face in her pillow. She didn't want to think about Erik, it was just too painful. She didn't have a class today and knew that Megan didn't either, so she wondered if they could meet for breakfast. She reached over her nightstand and grabbed her phone.

* * *

"_Every single night?"_

"Yes, she IMs him _every_ night. I don't know what they talk about, but sometimes it's only for a few minutes, so it's like she just touches base with him." Megan poured a little more raspberry syrup over her pancakes. "I asked him not to talk to her for one night a couple days ago, and he couldn't do it. I asked him why and he said he felt responsible for her being here."

Christine poured a little more ketchup on her plate for her scrambled eggs. "Well, how's everything between you two…how is he treating you now?"

"Everything's fine, it's like there's nothing wrong at all. But it's just that…" Megan just shook her head.

"What?"

"She's up to something, I know it. I can _feel _it. But I can't say anything to Amir because she hasn't really _done_ anything yet. He'll just think I'm being paranoid."

Christine sipped her orange juice. "So what are you going to do?"

Megan shook her head again. "I don't know. I wish I could just go and talk to her, but then she'd tell Amir and he'd resent it big time. Unless _he_ tells her to stop, she's not going to. And anything else I'd like to do would be considered assault…"

Christine smiled. "I know what you mean."

Megan munched on a piece of bacon. "How's it going with Roan?"

Christine looked thoughtful. "Okay."

"Just okay?"

"Actually, better than okay. We ran into Erik at P3 last Saturday and Roan was ready to fight him, but Erik just walked away. He wants me back."

"Really, he wants you back?" Megan sat up straight. "And what did you say?"

"I told him it was too late and that he couldn't love me since he didn't trust me. That's when Roan came back, and he was livid. I really thought he was going to fight him right then. It was pretty scary."

"Wow." Megan was grinning broadly. "You actually had two guys fighting over you! That is _so_ romantic!"

Christine looked at her as though she were crazy. "Megan, get a grip! It was _scary! _They could have killed each other…or at least Erik could have killed him. I've seen both of them fight, and believe me, Erik's in a different league altogether when it comes to fighting. It's unreal."

"I know, I've seen both him and Amir fight, and it's intense. But just the thought of having two men fight over you is amazing!"

"Oh, grow up," Christine grumbled as she finished off her eggs.

_

* * *

7:00 a.m. _

Erik had arisen early, immediately aware that this was the day he might again see Christine. He fervently hoped she would meet him today, but knew that there was a very real possibility she wouldn't since she hadn't responded to his letter. Still, he prepared himself carefully, picking out clothes that he knew she liked to see him in, as well as prepare what he planned to say. It was unlike him to be nervous, yet he could feel a slight flutter in his stomach as the hour grew near.

When it was time to leave that afternoon, he went downstairs to get the Ferrari and drove north towards Nob Hill. He loved this neighborhood, and it had been by accident that he'd come upon the Russian Tea House. It was now one of his favorite haunts.

When he arrived, he was about ten minutes early. The tea house had numerous booths and small curtained alcoves for privacy, as well as open tables. The genial host showed him to a curtained booth and he ordered some tea. He had a particular affinity for Russian tea since his time in Persia, and he especially liked the tea at this establishment for it was prepared the old-fashioned way, in a samovar, which was how he had learned to prepare it many years ago.

He closed his eyes as he sipped from the elegant china teacup and tasted the spices as the dark liquid warmed him. He felt calm, at peace, and he felt content in that he was doing the right thing by asking Christine to meet him. He looked down at his watch and noted that it was now 3:00. He looked toward the entrance, but no one had come in. There were very few people here at this time of day, but he imagined it would fill up when the weather became inclement as it was expected to next week.

When it became 3:10, he became concerned that she might not show up at all, and decided to wait until 3:15, for she was normally quite prompt.

At 3:15, his heart had stilled and he was disappointed. He imagined a number of reasons for her absence, but the one that stood out was that she simply did not wish to see him, as she'd said online. He drained the last of his tea and was about to take his leave when a shadow crossed the table and someone sat down across from him.

"I know you weren't expecting me, but I thought I should make an appearance."

Erik stared at the face of the individual seated opposite him, his mind racing.

As the host appeared to take another order, Roan politely requested black tea with cream and sugar.

"What are you doing here, Richards?"

Roan seemed to be very relaxed, almost bored, as he stated, "I'm on an errand. She wanted me to tell you that she wants you to leave her alone, Erik. She doesn't want to see you. I believe she told you that a few days ago."

The host brought Roan's tea and condiments on a tray and asked Erik if he would like more, which he refused.

"Why couldn't she tell me herself?" he asked calmly.

Roan prepared his tea easily with a practiced hand. "She wants to get on with it, her life, that is, with me. She doesn't want to move backwards with you. Think you can understand that?"

Erik continued to look at him without emotion. "What are your intentions toward her?"

"That's really none of your business now, is it?" he asked, taking a sip of his tea.

"Perhaps not, but I'd still like to know."

"You should already know…you were with her for awhile." He put down his teacup.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm talking about marrying her. What did you think I meant?" He looked at him as if he'd been insulted. "My intentions are honorable, Dupont, and we'd like you to butt out of our lives and leave us alone. Do you think you can do that?"

Erik continued to look at him, and then cast his eyes downward. He stood as he took out his wallet and placed some money on the table for his tea. He looked down at Roan who was calmly sipping his tea and said softly, "Yeah, I can do that…but I won't."

Roan's smugness faltered as he put down his teacup. "Why not?"

Now it was Erik's turn to smile. "Because you're a liar."


	49. Second Chances

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 49

Second Chances

_Friday_

Erik was amused by Roan's shock after he'd called him a liar, and he was still smiling after he had returned to his car and driven off. He'd known there was something strange about his IM conversation with Christine a few nights ago, though he hadn't been able to determine what it was at the time. But after this meeting with Roan, he had no doubt.

_Roan underestimated my relationship with Christine. If I didn't know her as intimately as I do, I would have missed his deception altogether. It's out of character for her to send Roan to tell me to stay away. We had too much respect for each other, and she would never send someone else to tell me such a thing. She would have told me herself, either in person or on the phone. _

Was it possible he was wrong? He conceded that it was, but he seriously doubted it, and to prove it, he took out his cell phone and dialed.

* * *

It had always struck her as a somewhat amazing phenomenon, the dynamics of clutter. It seemed to accumulate on its own, yet when it reached its saturation point and needed clearing, sure enough, they were items she'd gathered herself. Amazing. 

Christine was on her knees in the closet, going through boxes of clothes, shoes and old magazines when she heard the phone. She was actually glad for an excuse to leave the closet for this was going to be a two-day project. She quickly brushed her hands on her old jeans and pushed her hair aside as she answered the phoned.

"Hello?"

"Christine?"

"Erik?" She couldn't believe he was calling her.

"Yes, it's me. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you?" Flustered, she tried to gather her thoughts.

"I'm fine. Christine, you're right that you can't love someone without trust. That's what I need to talk to you about. This is very important. I wanted to ask if you would meet with me tomorrow so we can talk?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes, tomorrow, if you have a few minutes. Please…"

Christine was shocked. She never imagined he would call her, and now he wanted to meet with her. "All right…I'll be free around two."

Erik closed his eyes momentarily and breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll be at the Japanese Tea Gardens. Thank you."

"Bye."

Christine set the phone down gently, dazed at what had just happened. She was going to meet with Erik tomorrow. How did she really feel about that? _Nothing's changed. He's just going to talk to me about trust, but there won't be anything he can do to prove that he trusts me._

She returned to the closet and resumed organizing, top to bottom, all the while thinking about her meeting tomorrow…

_

* * *

Friday evening _

Amir was dressed elegantly in a suit and tie as he pulled up to Joanna's apartment building. He was reminded of Megan's attempt to keep him from responding to Joanna's instant message the other night and thought how unnecessary that had been. He was committed to Megan, yet she seemed insecure about his concern over Joanna's success for the year she would be in the United States. He thought it was strange that she should be so paranoid since he'd never done anything to make her so, but as he took the elevator to Joanna's floor, he realized that he was actually looking forward to seeing her. This confused him, for earlier, he remembered thinking that he would rather have taken Megan out tonight instead of Joanna. He had considered tonight's dinner just another part of his job, yet now, he felt a definite eagerness.

He knocked lightly on her door and Joanna opened to him a few moments later, smiling broadly.

"You look beautiful," Amir smiled.

"Thank you. Let me get my coat." She went to her bedroom and returned quickly wearing her coat and carrying a small purse. "I'm ready."

Amir escorted her downstairs to his car and opened her door. She hopped in gracefully, and as he walked around to his side and got in, he was vaguely reminded that before Megan, this very scenario used to play out repeatedly several times a week. He thought it strange that he would think of that now. When he had seen Megan earlier tonight, he had told her of his dinner plans with Joanna to thank her for filling in last week, and though Megan hadn't been pleased, she had understood his obligation.

They spoke little on their way to the restaurant, but in the closed confines of the car, he could smell Joanna's perfume and everything about her. When he would look over at her, she would smile gracefully, and he found himself thinking _Does she even realize how beautiful she is? _

When they arrived at Petrucci's Italian Ristorante, Joanna was delighted by the old world décor of the building and the romantic twinkling lights that were in the trees and around the grounds. They alighted at the entrance while a uniformed valet parked the car, and a genial doorman opened the large door for them as they entered the lobby. An attractive hostess led them to an elegant table in a corner and Amir helped Joanna with her coat before pulling her chair out for her.

It was a reasonably busy Friday night, but the efficient wait staff ensured that Petrucci's provided an intimate dining experience. Amir had selected Petrucci's for their outstanding food and service, but now realized that it was also quite romantic. He could tell that Joanna was very pleased with their surroundings, and they ordered cocktails as their hostess left their menus.

"I haven't had Italian food since I left Vienna," Joanna smiled as she looked over the menu selections.

"What kind of Italian food do you like?"

As she looked over the menu, she seemed undecided. "I like all kinds, but I think I'll order the lasagna. It's always been one of my favorites." Their waiter arrived shortly thereafter with their drinks and took their order, both deciding on the lasagna. Joanna was staring at the flowers and the small candle that glowed on their table.

"You know, when I first began singing, it was as if an entirely new world opened up for me. And now that I'm doing it for a living, I can't imagine ever doing anything else."

Amir nodded. "You have to have that single-minded dedication if you're going to succeed because it takes more than just getting up on stage and singing your heart out. It's hours and hours of rigorous training to make your voice the best it can be, but of course you already know that."

"Yes, my tutor at the conservatory has me on a practice schedule, and his exercises are progressive to strengthen my voice. My family has been pleased with my progress."

"You're fortunate to have the support of your family. You must miss them very much."

At this, Joanna looked a little sad. "Yes, I do miss them. I was very close to my parents and to my brothers, but it'll probably only be for a year, and then I'll be back home again. But I've really appreciated your kindness and friendship. You're the only one I have that I can talk to now. With Victoria making it difficult, I don't think I could stand it if you weren't there…"

Her voice was about to break, and Amir saw that tears were forming in her eyes. He placed his hand over hers and squeezed it gently. His heart went out to her for he understood her anguish. She'd come alone to this country with great talent and hopes, only to find her efforts challenged at every turn by those who were jealous of her talent and beauty. It was so unfair, but part and parcel of the business, something everyone had to overcome in order to succeed. He was determined to help her. She was too sweet and beautiful to be overcome by these forces she was unprepared for.

"Joanna, I'll always be here to help you in any way I can," he said sincerely, and he was glad when this elicited a small smile from her.

When their food arrived, it looked wonderful, and they enjoyed it as they conversed easily together. Amir took pleasure in her company and found her conversation both interesting and stimulating. She was well-educated and her opinions well-reasoned, occasionally questioning him on some of his own ideas, which he found delightful. As music director of the Phil, it was rare indeed for anyone to question any of his decisions or ideas.

When they'd finished dinner, their waiter returned to clear their plates and inquired if they would like dessert, suggesting their specialty: zabaglione over fruit.

"That sounds wonderful, but I don't think I have room," Joanna lamented.

"We'll take that with two spoons," Amir ordered with a smile.

When the waiter brought their dessert, it was beautifully presented and Amir was amused by how eagerly Joanna dipped into it. Although he took a couple bites of the fruit, Joanna ultimately ate the lion's share of the entire dessert.

"Good?" he asked humorously.

"Mmm, I loved it!"

After dessert, Amir paid their bill and they returned to the car. It was still relatively early and the stars were out as they drove off. Joanna was feeling very good after such a fine meal and turned to Amir. "Thank for you dinner, it was wonderful. I'm having such a good time, I wish it didn't have to end."

Amir was also having a good time and he had an idea. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

Joanna was charmed. "I'd love to! Where?"

Amir drove them to Fisherman's Wharf. Although it was late evening, the restaurants and shops along the wharf were still crowded, but the lighted pier itself was almost deserted. It was cool this evening, so Joanna put her arm through Amir's as they strolled to the end of the pier.

When they reached the end, they looked out along the water and could hear the waves gently lapping against the support beams under the pier. The lights from across the way reflected and shimmered in the water, and the stars overhead twinkled serenely. Although rain was forecast for the following week, there were no clouds in the sky tonight.

"It's so beautiful here," Joanna murmured as she listened to the waves hitting the supports beneath them. "And so much warmer than back home."

"Yes, we're very fortunate. Good weather, nice people, culture… But Vienna's very beautiful, too. I was there many years ago."

"Yes, I miss it. We had a concert every season at the Conservatory, and in the summertime, a grand concert in the park. It was so much fun! My family would go to all the concerts because my brothers and I always participated."

"Your family is very musically inclined."

"Yes, our whole family loved music, but so far, I'm the only one that wants to make a living at it."

"If you keep progressing as you have been, you'll probably get your wish."

Joanna smiled. "Do you really think so?" she asked softly.

"Absolutely." Amir turned to look at her, but unexpectedly found himself falling into the depths of her astonishingly blue eyes...and those lips...

He abruptly turned from her and walked several paces away.

"Amir, what's wrong?" She looked after him and was concerned by his strange behavior.

After a moment, he turned and smiled easily. "Nothing, but we'd better get going. It's getting late."

They walked back down the pier again and returned to the car. As Amir drove her home, he thought about what had almost happened. He had turned to look at her when he'd suddenly realized how incredibly beautiful she was, and when he glanced down at her perfectly formed lips, he'd almost kissed her. He'd pulled himself away just in time, before he'd embarrassed himself, and her. He would take her home and then go to bed. It was a little late, but everything was still all right.

When they arrived at her apartment building, Amir walked her to her door. She unlocked it and then turned to him.

"Thank you so much for this evening. I had a wonderful time," she said sincerely.

"I'm glad," he said softly. "We'll see you tomorrow, Joanna."

But before he could go, she captured his lips in a gentle kiss. It was brief, but he was shocked and froze. When she saw his hesitation, she kissed him again, and lingered.

Amir's mind had gone blank the moment their lips met. Her lips were so soft. He didn't know what to think, and then vaguely, his lips remembered, and he began to respond…

_

* * *

Saturday, 1:45 p.m. _

Everyone backstage was preparing for the matinee performance and there was less than fifteen minutes to curtain time. Everything was in place and everyone was ready, so it was now just a matter of waiting. Amir was pleased with the work of his cast and crew and he had just completed his backstage check before going to take his seat. He walked quickly to the back of the theatre and behind the curtained entry that hid the stairs leading up to the balcony.

As he neared the stairs, Joanna appeared from around the curtains and approached him. Wondering what she was doing there so close to curtain time, he was about to ask when she suddenly attempted to kiss him, her lips making brief contact before he grasped her arms and backed away.

"Joanna, what are you doing? You know I'm with someone, and you should be backstage by now."

She seemed somewhat disappointed, but not one to be put off entirely, she took his hand in both of hers and held it affectionately. "I know, but I just wanted to thank you again for dinner last night. I had such a good time… it just made my week," she smiled.

"Well, I'm glad. Now off with you before you're late," and he gestured toward the stage.

She hurriedly left, and Amir shook his head as he walked up the stairs. _Why does my heart stop whenever her lips are on mine? And that wonderful perfume…_

* * *

Megan was looking forward to seeing Amir although she saw him just last night, but since telling her about his dinner plans with Joanna, she was curious to hear how it went, and so thought to surprise him at work. 

It was likely he'd be busy up until the performance, so she reasoned that he would be free shortly before. She went up to his office, but not finding him there, decided to go backstage, and not seeing him there, she was about to take the stairs up to the balcony when she saw Joanna go through the curtains that led to the stairway. On a hunch, she parted the curtains slightly to look in, and she saw Joanna approach Amir and kiss him, or at least try to. Megan was stunned by Joanna's audacity, and wondered how Amir would react. She saw him take Joanna's arms and back away from her, and he seemed surprised. She'd heard everything, and when he told her to get backstage, Joanna hurriedly left, rushing past Megan without seeing her. When Megan looked back at Amir, he was going up the stairs.

She was pleased with his response, but she didn't want him to know she'd been there when he'd had this encounter with Joanna, so she decided to leave. She would see him tonight…

_

* * *

Saturday, 2:00 p.m. _

_Japanese Tea Gardens_

Christine hadn't been here in years. Her parents had brought her here when she was a little girl, and she could still remember how enchanted she'd been by the Japanese deer and koi ponds that dotted the gardens. It was beautiful and peaceful, and she wondered why she'd never returned.

As she parked her car, she didn't see Erik's car and wondered if he was there yet. She walked towards the entrance and noted that it hadn't changed much from when she'd last been there. There was a large red Japanese gate and a tall flagpole just inside the grounds with large pink, blue, and green fish blowing gaily in the breeze. Everything about the gardens spelled tranquility, and since she felt a little nervous, thought it was the perfect place for their meeting.

Branches from tall shade trees hung over both sides of the walkway, causing the sun's rays to be dappled on the ground. As she made her way down the path, she saw a number of beautiful birds and butterflies in the trees and bushes and thought it interesting that they seemed to stay within the boundaries of the gardens. The sun felt warm and wonderful, and the sounds and smells of nature all around her put her at ease. There was a wooden bridge spanning the koi pond which Christine remembered from her childhood, and it still looked the same. As she walked across it to the middle, she looked down into the water and saw a number of beautiful multi-colored koi casually swimming by. When she'd been with her mother and father, they would purchase fish food from convenient vending machines placed near the ponds and feed the koi. _Precious memories _she thought. She leaned on the railing as she looked into the water and felt very much at peace. _Where's Erik? He didn't say where in the gardens to meet him._

"Thank you for coming, Christine. It's wonderful to see you again."

Christine froze, startled out of her reverie by his voice just behind her. She hadn't heard him approach on the bridge, but as she turned, Erik stood casually on the other side, his hands resting on the railing to each side. She thought he looked as wonderful as she'd always remembered, just as handsome, just as alluring, and realized that she'd always thought so, from the first moment she had seen him.

"Hello, Erik, it's good to see you, too." She didn't know what else to say, but since he'd been the one to ask her here, decided that it was his show.

"Let's walk," he invited, and they started strolling leisurely along the path.

It seemed strange in a way, being together again, yet with an unseen wall between them now. He wanted her back, yet an intangible condition kept them apart. _Why do things have to be so complicated? _she thought.

They strolled in silence for awhile. Erik walked with his hands clasped behind his back and seemed to be thinking. When he'd first spied her on the bridge, he thought Christine looked as wonderful as ever. She'd chosen to wear her hair tied back with a ribbon, and he was surprised but pleased to see that she wore the necklace he'd given her on their first date. He chose his words carefully, for he didn't want to waste their time together. "Christine, I've made a terrible mistake, and I take full responsibility for it." He stopped walking at this point to turn and face her. "I'm deeply sorry that I didn't believe you when you told me you hadn't been with Roan. You'd never given me cause to distrust you, but it was my own jealousy that caused me to jump to conclusions. I know I said some terrible things to you that day, but I hope you can forgive me. I'm so sorry, Christine," he said softly.

She looked up at him and felt that he probably was very sorry, and felt, too, that apologizing wasn't something he was used to doing. She didn't say anything, but looked away and began strolling again. She remembered that horrible day vividly, she would never forget it. She'd never been hysterical before, but when he'd told her to go, she had felt totally bereft and cut off from any connection or bond that held her world together. It was the most horrible moment of her life. If she were to forgive him, would it not negate what had happened that day? Perhaps she could forgive him someday, she thought, but not today.

When Christine didn't respond, Erik knew that she hadn't forgiven him. _What did you expect? _his conscience mocked. _Did you forget the anguish you put her through that day? The terrible words you accused her with? You deserve this and more..._

As he walked behind her, he said, "Christine, please let me try to explain about my past, and then perhaps you can understand why I reacted the way I did. I admit it was wrong, but it was a reaction based on things that happened before we'd met."

Christine stopped and turned. She'd had questions about his past before but had never had the opportunity to ask him about it. Perhaps now she'd get some answers. "All right."

They walked slowly along the winding path through the gardens, as Erik began. "I suppose I'd best start at the beginning. I told you before of how I didn't get along with my family. It actually goes much deeper than that. My family was wealthy, but from my earliest memories, there were two things that were constant: the feeling of not being wanted, and having to wear a mask…"

Erik proceeded to tell her about his family, the attempted surgeries on his face, sibling rivalry, his first girlfriend, being sent to study in Italy, and then, finally, about his last girlfriend before Christine and her attempts to get him to remove his mask.

They'd stopped at another koi pond and bought some feed to throw into the water. Christine had been silent as Erik spoke of his past, but she felt her heart go out to this brilliant man who was shunned by his own family and who searched for love, only to be rejected because of his deformity. She understood now why he refused to remove his mask for her…he feared her rejection since that was what he'd experienced twice before. "I'm so sorry," she said softly. "I never knew, but I understand now why you didn't want to take off your mask."

Erik threw some feed into the water. "Yes, because of what I'd been through, I just couldn't take the chance of losing you for the same reason. I'm not sure what I expected to do about it, but I just chose not to think about it until it came up again, and I decided that it would no longer be an issue when the mask no longer mattered to you."

Christine looked at the numerous koi in the water. "I realized it when I saw you at Gaston's with Joanna. I'd been worrying about the mask when it was you that mattered, not the mask. That's why I came back that night, so I could tell you."

_So that's why she was there. She wanted to tell me the mask didn't matter any more… and she saw me in bed with Joanna._ "I went and looked for you after you ran out, but I couldn't find you."

"I went to stay with a friend," she said quietly, remembering how she'd run to Roan that night.

"I said some terrible things to you. I was angry, crazy with jealousy. I just couldn't believe that anyone could be faithful to me if there was someone else you could be with that didn't have to wear a mask."

Christine was struck by the irony of this. "Yes, Roan's very handsome, and so was Rick, but they weren't _you_. I was wrong when I got upset about your mask, but I know that that's not important now. From the moment I first saw you, I always thought you were the handsomest man I'd ever seen."

At this, Erik looked over at her, and he saw that she was gazing at him sincerely. _She really thinks I'm handsome? _He felt a bitter pain in his heart at this revelation, the truth of it striking him like a blow. So much time wasted when they could have been together working this out. _Damned, pathetic FOOL! _his conscience shouted angrily.

He turned away from her then, facing the pond, and brought his hands up to his face. He had to wipe away the tears that were forming. _She thought I was handsome all this time…and she loved me. What have I done? _

"Erik, are you all right?"

His heart was in pieces, and he couldn't speak. He didn't turn around, but when he felt her hand on his arm, he murmured brokenly, "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, Christine. I'm so sorry…"

She could tell he was sobbing, and she wrapped her arms around him from behind. "It's all right, it's all over now, it's all right," she whispered soothingly. _He really regrets what he's done _she thought.

When he'd gathered himself, they went to sit on a bench that was set among the trees, and he asked softly, "Does he treat you well?"

Christine looked into the water. "Yes, he does. He's been very kind to me."

Erik nodded. "I'm glad. Do you love him?"

She shook her head. "We haven't been together that long, but we're very close." She had a question on her mind that she'd been wondering about since the week before. "Are you still with Joanna?"

He shook his head and whispered, "No. It was a mistake."

Christine nodded and then stood, and she walked over to the pond. She placed some coins in the vending machine to get some more fish food and threw a few into the water. She watched as the koi came to feed, and she admired the variety in their coloring. Erik came to stand by her and watch.

"You know, the mating rituals of koi are quite interesting," he said softly. "When a female is filled with eggs, the males bump and jostle her, in effect trying to dislodge the eggs from her so they can fertilize them. It looks like a bunch of fish ganging up on one fish, but that's how they procreate."

Christine smiled. "That _is_ interesting, but not very romantic. I'm glad humans don't do it that way."

Erik smiled for the first time. When Christine was done feeding the fish, they walked along and came upon a pontoon bridge that was about twenty feet across spanning a large pond. There was a sign next to the bridge explaining its origin and also giving a warning to those brave enough to venture across despite the rope rail on either side of it. The sign read that the Buddhist monks who first constructed the tea gardens used it as a training exercise as well as a game, and that all of the monks had been able to traverse it successfully as opposed to one out of ten of the general population.

As they read the sign and then looked at the bridge, Christine wondered if she could possibly cross it. It really didn't look difficult for the pontoons were hollow wooden blocks with enough buoyancy to keep one from getting wet. She walked up to the bridge and looked across to the other side.

"Um, Christine…?" Erik wondered if she would attempt it.

She looked back at him and smiled mischievously before grabbing the guide ropes on either side of the bridge and starting across. With her first step on the initial pontoon, she was shocked when it began to submerge under the weight of her footstep, and she immediately tried to compensate by bringing her other foot to step on the next pontoon, which likewise began to submerge under her weight. They actually looked quite stable undisturbed, but being hollow, merely floated on the water. Although she had a firm grip on the guide ropes, she knew she was going to fall as she teetered precariously and shrieked.

Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted up by strong arms and thrown over Erik's shoulder as he held onto a guide rope with his left hand and held her firmly on his shoulder with his right. Her view from this vantage point was harrowing to say the least when all she could see were submerged pontoons suddenly springing back up in the water as Erik took the next step. She felt surprisingly secure on his back until they were both safely across, and then he set her gently down on the ground.

Christine was amazed as she tried to regain her composure, and as she turned to look back at the pond, saw that the pontoons were still swaying from their recent crossing twenty feet back. "My god, how were you able to do that! Have you done this before?" she asked incredulously.

"Actually, this was my first time, but I've always had pretty good balance," Erik replied honestly.

"Amazing…" she muttered to herself.

When they were back at the entrance to the gardens, there was a display on the side of the gift shop building of small, colorful slips of paper with graceful Japanese characters which they were invited to take. They were supposedly Japanese fortunes, and they each took one as they made their way out and back to the parking area.

Erik walked Christine back to her car and wondered if there could possibly be another time. "Christine, thank you for meeting with me today. I know you're dating Roan now, but, I'd like to see you again."

Christine looked away uncertainly. It had been a pleasant afternoon, but she didn't want any more drama in her life, and she'd never had more drama than when she'd been with Erik. "I don't know…"

"Please, Christine…just to talk, during the day." He held his breath as she pondered this and what it could mean.

She was dating Roan now. Would it be cheating to talk to Erik like she did today? She didn't think so, although she was sure Roan would probably disagree. Finally, she made up her mind.

"All right…just to talk."

Erik smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

"Good-bye."

"Bye, Christine."


	50. False Impressions

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 50

False Impressions

_Saturday, 8:00 p.m._

Megan was glad she'd have another opportunity to wear the black Versace halter-dress Amir had surprised her with for Christmas, as well as her Farragamo heels. As she styled her hair up and applied her make-up, her mind wandered again to when she spied Joanna attempting to kiss Amir and his rebuffing her. This made her smile as she applied her lipstick. She knew Joanna wouldn't give up, but at least she knew that Amir had thought of her even in the face of Joanna's advances.

When it was eight, she heard a light knock at her door. Upon opening it, she saw Amir standing there looking nothing short of _elegant_, dressed in black with a white dress shirt and handkerchief layered with a black tie with a diamond stickpin. She thought he looked _gorgeous. _

Amir smiled and looked her over with obvious approval. "You look wonderful, darling," he said, and embraced her warmly. He escorted her downstairs and she saw that he had the Maybach tonight. Amir helped her in, and as they drove downtown, Megan found herself wondering what Amir's thoughts were now about Joanna. _"What are you doing? You know I'm with someone." _This thought comforted her, and she placed her hand on his thigh as he drove. He looked over at her and smiled.

"Are you all right, darling?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. How are you?" she returned.

"Couldn't be better," and he took her hand and brought it to his lips.

When they arrived at P3, Megan loved the romantic elegance that was everywhere. After checking her coat, they entered the restaurant where a hostess led them through the large room to their table. As they walked past the other diners, Amir noticed the envious looks of other men as they glanced at Megan, and he felt a quiet pride that she was his. After they took their seats at an elegant table, the hostess took their drink orders and left their menus.

"Thank you for bringing me here," Megan said as she admired the intimate setting. "It's so beautiful." She was amazed that it could feel so cozy when the room was so large and filled with diners.

"I'm glad you like it, cherie, and the food is excellent."

The waiter brought their drinks and took their orders, Amir ordering sea bass and Megan ordering the lobster. They conversed quietly about their day as they sipped their drinks.

"So how is Joanna getting along now with Victoria?" Megan asked conversationally.

Amir took a sip of his Manhattan. "Nothing's changed really. Victoria is afraid every time we get a new singer and has run off quite a few of them. I think I need to take a more active role in making sure we don't lose any more because of her."

"How active a role would you want to take?" She sipped her French Martini and looked at him across her glass.

"Whatever it takes to convince them that their best weapon is their voice. As long as they feel inferior to Victoria, she holds a power over them. But once they realize they're as qualified as she is, they're not as intimidated. Of course, she'll still try to intimidate, but by then, it's more for show."

Megan shook her head. "It seems like an awful lot of trouble just to stay on top. Do you think Joanna will be able to stick it out for the year?"

Amir pondered this for a moment. "I hope so. It's hard enough for someone from this country to put up with someone like Victoria, but Joanna doesn't have anyone, so it's just that much harder. Have you ever met her?"

Megan was surprised that he would ask this. "No, but I think I saw her in passing at the Christmas Gala. She's very beautiful."

"Yes, she's striking, and that's another reason Victoria's jealous. Joanna is beautiful _and_ talented."

"I wonder how Christine will do if she gets hired after graduation?" Megan thought aloud.

Amir shook his head. "I don't even want to think about it. It'll take the pressure off of Joanna to be sure, but Christine may have it even harder because her voice is much more advanced. Victoria may feel like counting her days if Christine comes on board."

Their food arrived at that point and everything looked wonderful. Megan loved the presentation of her lobster but was somewhat surprised that there was much less meat than what she would have expected. Fortunately, their order came with several side dishes that helped to round out their meal.

After dinner, they shared a scoop of chocolate zabaglione topped with mixed berries. Amir enjoyed the dessert very much, but smiled as he noticed Megan concentrating on the chocolate. By the time she finished, Amir was grinning broadly as he dipped a corner of his napkin in water and gently wiped her mouth which had formed a ring of chocolate around her lips. When he finished, he kissed her tenderly and murmured, "My precious one…," and her heart melted.

When they had finished dessert, they left their table and Amir led her up the few steps to the next level which tonight featured a jazz trio. The music was again mellow and soothing, and there were some couples dancing. They found a comfortable table near the dance floor and enjoyed the relaxed ambiance. A cocktail waitress came to take their order and returned a few minutes later with their drinks.

Amir placed his hand over Megan's. "Are you happy, cherie?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm happy," she smiled, but she was uneasy. She knew Joanna wasn't going to stop, and during dinner, it seemed to her that Amir was distracted, despite his attempts to be attentive, and she wondered if it was because he was thinking of Joanna. _Now you're jumping to conclusions. Get a grip. _

"Would you care to dance?" he asked softly.

"I'd love to."

As they joined the other couples on the dance floor, Amir held her closely. Megan closed her eyes. She loved the feel of him against her, but she couldn't keep her mind from wandering. _Can I imagine him with Joanna? Can I imagine him doing with her the things we've done? _She had to remind herself that before she came along, Amir had dated countless women. It was all too easy to imagine him with other women, and the thought made her vaguely ill. Adding to it was the fact that there was really nothing she could do about it. Ultimately, it was Amir's choice alone.

"Darling, are you all right?"

Megan hadn't realized that Amir had been watching her closely. "Yes, why?"

"It just seemed like you weren't feeling well for a moment. Why don't we sit down for awhile?"

They returned to their table and enjoyed listening to the jazz trio for another hour before taking their leave.

As they drove away, Megan realized that Amir was taking her to his apartment. She didn't have a change of clothes, but she was glad she at least had a modicum of make-up supplies with her in her small purse.

After Amir parked the car in the gated parking garage under his building, he took her hand and quickly walked to the elevator which would take them up to his floor. As soon as the elevator doors closed and it started its ascent, she was surprised when Amir suddenly turned to her and began kissing and nuzzling her. She returned his kisses but thought it strange that he should suddenly become so amorous without warning. _I know he's not drunk, I wonder what's gotten into him? _

When the elevator stopped at their floor, Amir again took her hand and pulled her along as he made his way to his door, which he unlocked easily. As soon as they were on the other side, he locked it and led her quickly to the bedroom.

He'd already pulled off his tie and unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt when they reached the bedroom and he turned to her and said, "Get undressed."

Megan couldn't understand the hurry…they had all night after all. As she began to take off her shoes and jewelry, she could see that Amir was already almost undressed. She was taking the pins out of her hair when she suddenly felt his hands on her, turning her around and quickly unzipping her dress and pulling it from her. It seemed he couldn't get her undressed fast enough as he tore her bra and panties off and began kissing her roughly, urgently, while pushing her backwards towards the bed.

"Amir, what…" Her words were cut off abruptly as he pushed her onto the bed and kissed her deeply, his hands everywhere. His kisses trailed heatedly from her lips to her neck and down to her chest and breasts until he moved down to her stomach and lower. She gasped as he parted her legs roughly and buried his face in the apex between her thighs and frantically began to tease and lick every part of her. Megan was surprise by his sexual frenzy for it seemed he couldn't arouse her passions fast enough. He quickly and expertly stimulated her and soon brought her to the edge of ecstasy before he brought himself up and forcefully thrust into her, causing her to cry out in surprise and moan from the wave of sensations now engulfing her. She was overcome by his pounding passion and felt herself momentarily lost within it before she felt her nerve endings catch and build rapidly until she exploded violently under him and cried out, writhing and spasming as he then exploded in his own orgasm, groaning with the effort and finally shooting his semen deep within her, pumping repeatedly until he was thoroughly spent.

When he was done, he rested on his elbows above her, breathing deeply. Megan was exhausted and her eyes were closed as her breathing slowly returned to normal. Amir kissed her gently before he moved off of her, and within minutes, Megan was sound asleep.

Amir laid next to her for awhile as he stared off into space, his arm over his forehead, thinking about the day…

He'd been trying to keep his distance from Joanna since the night before when he realized what a danger she posed to him. It had been hard enough to walk away from her when they'd been on the pier, but when she kissed him at her apartment, he realized then that he'd been trying to deny his feelings all along. But he was confused. Of all the women he'd been with, he'd never come anywhere close to love until Megan. Yet what was this he was now feeling for Joanna? He'd tried his best to maintain his professional conduct with her at all times, yet she seemed to know how to breach his protective barriers.

He had looked forward to taking Megan to P3 tonight and had enjoyed her company as he always did, but Joanna had been on his mind the entire night. He had tried to be attentive to Megan, but his thoughts would wander back to Joanna's kiss the night before. It had been incredible, unforgettable…

As he sat with Megan listening to the jazz band, his mind had begun imagining what it would have been like to touch Joanna, to feel her…to fuck her. His thoughts began to excite him and he had to leave. Megan had been confused by his amorous frenzy, but he was glad that she seemed to enjoy it nonetheless.

He wondered how much longer he'd be able to resist Joanna's advances. He was able to do so last night by a strength of will, and today because the curtain was about to go up in fifteen minutes, but what about the next time? He thought about his relationship with Megan. He'd never been so close to any woman in his life, and he imagined that he might even be in love with her. But what did he feel for Joanna? He was her employer, but she was pursuing _him. _Was his attraction to her purely physical, or could it be more? Was it worth risking his relationship with Megan?

His eyes were starting to grow heavy, and in a few minutes, he was also sound asleep. As the night wore on, he began to dream…

* * *

Megan awoke in the middle of the night, but she wasn't sure whether it was because she had to go to the bathroom or because of Amir's restlessness as he slept. In any event, she padded over to the bathroom and noticed how chilly it was since she hadn't bothered to put on a robe and she was naked. She thought about their evening together. It seemed like it had been awhile since they'd had mad sex like tonight, but she had enjoyed it. She'd never had a lover like Amir, and he never failed to excite her or to thoroughly appease her appetites. 

When she returned to the bed, Amir was still restless and was mumbling incoherently. She thought she'd have some fun and see if he could talk to her in his sleep.

Laying next to him, she whispered seductively, "Amir…"

He mumbled some more and Megan stifled a giggle.

"Amir," she whispered again. "What are you dreaming of, darling?"

His mumbling seemed to quiet, so she closed her eyes as she pulled the covers back over herself. But before she drifted off to sleep, she heard one word whispered clearly…

"Joanna…"

_

* * *

Sunday _

Roan was looking forward to taking Christine to brunch today since he didn't see or hear from her yesterday, and he wondered if Erik had spoken with her. He quickly mounted the stairs to her apartment and knocked. Christine answered fairly quickly and he gave her a warm hug and kiss in greeting.

"Hi, sweetheart. Ready for brunch?"

"I sure am, let's go!" Christine grabbed her sweater and purse and they made their way to his car. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise, but I think you'll like it," he winked.

It took a few minutes to drive south through town, but as they merged onto the Pacific Coast Highway, Christine wondered how far they would go.

They spoke little as they drove southward, but merely enjoyed listening to a commercial-free station that was broadcast through the University of California, San Francisco campus.

* * *

Erik had just completed running an errand and was on his way back to the Phil when he saw Roan and Christine drive by. He wondered if they were on their way out of town since they were headed towards the PCH, or Pacific Coast Highway, and it turned out they were. He decided to follow them.

* * *

Roan enjoyed driving along the freeways of Northern California because they were never overly crowded like those in Southern California. Instead, the drives were scenic and leisurely, truly enjoyable. The day was pleasant, slightly overcast, but he could see in the distance, over the ocean, clouds that were predicted to bring rain in a day or two. 

Christine was relaxed and listened to the radio as she would occasionally look out at the ocean. Roan was glad he could spend time with her today since he'd been occupied all day yesterday, but since his meeting with Erik on Friday, he wondered if Erik had already tried to contact her.

As he pondered this, he looked in his rearview mirror and saw an SUV behind him by about fifty yards. He normally would have ignored this but for the fact that half the driver's face appeared white. _That's Erik Dupont, and he's following us! _

Roan was livid and kept his eyes on him, deciding to get rid of him once and for all. Christine was oblivious to the drama about to unfold.

As they drove southward, they approached an area of the highway that passed a grouping of tall rock formations. There were several such groupings along the PCH, but these were by far the tallest and broadest. Roan pulled off the road and parked next to them, and as he and Christine got out, he took her hand and walked her to the side of the rocks that was hidden from the highway, facing the ocean.

"Look at that, you can see the storm clouds forming out there. Isn't it beautiful?" Roan looked out towards the horizon, a calm expression on his face. "If we were further south, we'd be able to see the Channel Islands, but at night, you can see the oil derricks lit up."

"Yes, it is beautiful. We're lucky to live in California. How did you ever know about this place?" Christine breathed in deeply, loving the smell of the salt on the waves. It was somewhat overcast, but not yet cold, and the air was still.

"My brother and I used to come out here and fish when we were younger. It was nice because no one knew about it and we'd be left alone all day. I love it here."

"I do, too," Christine smiled. "Thank you for sharing it with me."

Erik had parked his SUV on the other side of the rocks and had made his way around a rocky outcrop so he could see Roan and Christine clearly. It shielded him from the highway as well as from the couple now facing the ocean, and he could hear every word.

"I wanted to share something else with you, too." Roan took her hand gently as Christine stood near the rock wall. "Next week, I'd like to introduce you to my parents. We've been invited to dinner at their place."

Christine was surprised by this invitation. "Really? At your parents' house? Why?"

Roan was standing very close to her now as he looked at her. "Well, you're very special to me and they wanted to meet you. They've never invited any of my other girlfriends to dinner before, so they know you mean a lot to me. What do you say?"

Christine wasn't sure what to think. "Of course I'd love to meet your parents, but I don't want them to get the wrong impression. I mean, it's not like we were getting married or anything."

"They know we're nowhere near that yet, but they do know that you're very special to me, that's all. Besides, I'd love to show you off to them." He leaned his head down and kissed her deeply, embracing her so that she was pushed against the rock wall. He could smell her fresh clean scent, and the wonderful taste of her. The heady sensation of kissing her outdoors like this was wonderful, and he began to nuzzle her behind her ear and down her neck as his hands cupped her breasts through her clothes.

Christine was fast becoming aroused by Roan's unexpected advances, and she loved the romantic setting…hearing the ocean, feeling the fresh air, and smelling the salt from the sea…

Roan's hands had slipped under her sweater and he had moved her bra aside so he could feel her and suck her ruddy peaks, first one, and then the other. Christine gasped and moaned softly at the sensation of feeling the cool air against her skin, and then the warmth of Roan's lips on her breasts as she twined her fingers through his hair. His hands grabbed at her long skirt and pulled it up so he could pull her panties aside and feel her wetness. Yes…she was very wet, and that excited him.

He knelt before her so he could taste that wetness now, and Christine's moans became louder as he placed two of his fingers inside of her and moved them rhythmically back and forth as he sucked and teased her swollen clit. He did this expertly, and within moments, began to feel the telltale trembling that told him she was very close…

He unzipped his fly and released himself quickly from his trousers. He was already hard and his balls fit to bursting when he felt her on the verge of coming. He stood and forcefully impaled her as she cried out. He pumped her repeatedly against the rocks and could feel her explode under him as she cried out loudly, thrashing and writhing against him as he held her in place. He felt powerful holding her under him against the rock wall, fucking her, and Christine loved this feeling of being dominated by him, of being _taken _forcefully. When Roan had deposited the last of himself into her, they stood, still connected, as they leaned against the rock, and he kissed her tenderly.

* * *

Erik drove back to the city, and his heart was in his throat. He was breathing roughly as he remembered…he had seen and heard everything. He'd seen that boy fuck her, he'd seen him fuck her! And she seemed to be enjoying it… He slammed his fist against the seat next to him as he drove, his eyes tearing. He closed his eyes briefly as he tried to catch his breath. _And I just saw her yesterday. I can't bear this alone…I can't... _

He called an acquaintance as he drove back to town, and that was where he was headed now.

* * *

"Jesus, you look like hell." 

"Fuck you. Do you have what I need?"

"Yeah, six, like you asked for. Old habits die hard, eh, old man? Sure you don't want something stronger? You look like you could use it."

"No. Here's $1,000. The extra is for your silence, as always."

"Thanks. Pleasure doing business with you."

* * *

When they'd returned to the car, they drove south for about ten more miles. Christine was feeling wonderful, and she placed her hand affectionately on Roan's thigh as they drove. Roan placed his own hand atop hers and smiled at her warmly. It had been exhilarating making love outdoors so close to the ocean, and he vowed they would do it again someday. He hoped they had put on a good enough show for Erik and was certain they had, especially when Christine cried out as she orgasmed. That had been perfect… 

They soon came to the small town of Moss Beach and Roan drove down a narrow street that took them to the bluffs overlooking the Pacific until they came to the imposing Moss Beach Distillery. It was a large white wooden building that looked to be quite old, but very charming. Roan took her hand as they walked up to it from the parking lot and he briefly explained its history.

"The Distillery was built during the roaring 20's when the country was going through Prohibition, and it made quite a name for itself back then. A beautiful married woman was said to have come here to have an affair with the piano player, and when her estranged husband found out, he killed her on the beach below the restaurant, and her ghost now haunts the place waiting for her lover."

Christine was enchanted. "Wow, that's really romantic. How did he kill her?"

"He stabbed her to death. And you'll love the food here, it's excellent."

When they walked into the restaurant, the hostess showed them to a very nice booth by the window which had a spectacular view of the ocean, but Christine noticed that all the tables had a great view owing to the large windows facing west. It was surprisingly crowded despite its somewhat isolated location, yet it did nothing to detract from the old-fashioned charm. After receiving their beverage orders, they were invited to help themselves to the champagne brunch buffet.

As they stepped up to the food tables, Christine was duly impressed by the lavish spread as well as the fresh flowers that seemed to be everywhere. When they were seated back in their booth, she was pleased to see that in addition to her iced tea, there were also flutes of champagne, which came with their brunch.

"In all the years I've lived in San Francisco, I'm surprised that I've never been here. It's just fabulous!"

Roan smiled at her enthusiasm. "I'm glad you like it. My family used to vacation here just to get away for a little while without going too far. It's one of my favorite places." He took a sip of his champagne. "So, what did you do yesterday?" he asked casually.

"Well, I finally cleaned out my closet. You should come over and look at it, it's a thing of beauty," Christine smiled proudly.

"Did you happen to talk to Erik?"

Christine looked over at him, surprised. "As a matter of fact, I did. How did you know?"

"Did he call you?"

"Yes, he did."

He wasn't surprised. "So where did you talk?"

"I met him at the Japanese Tea Gardens."

Roan wondered what Erik might have said and tried to sound nonchalant. "So what did you guys talk about?"

Christine looked up at him and then back at her food. "That's personal."

Roan tried to sound reasonable. "As your boyfriend, I think I have a right to know what he said, don't you think?"

Christine felt like she'd been down this road before. "You mean like I have the right to know what you talk to your ex-girlfriends about? That right?"

Roan looked at Christine disapprovingly. "That's not the same thing."

She looked back at him. "Really? What's the difference?"

Roan was becoming a little frustrated at having to explain something that seemed so obvious. "I really don't like bringing sexism into this, but it looks like it's unavoidable. Since I'm the man, it's my job to protect you, and that's kind of hard to do that if I don't know what's going on."

Christine wasn't liking where this conversation was going. "There's nothing _going on, _and what is it that you're trying to protect me from?"

"From Erik Dupont! He'd like to break us up and take you away from me!"

Christine looked at him and then took a sip of her iced tea. "Yes, he did say that he wanted me back, but don't you think I have some say in this? Don't you think it's _my_ decision if I want him to take me away?"

Roan was starting to get upset. "Of course it's your choice! It's always been your choice! But…I don't want to lose you!" He had seemed angry initially, but seemed to deflate as he whispered hoarsely, "I can't lose you, Christine. Excuse me…"

He placed his napkin on the table as he got up and walked to the men's room. Christine watched him go and wondered about his feelings toward her. He never did tell her he loved her, yet it seemed obvious that he did. He was going to introduce her to his parents…

How did _she_ feel about him? She liked him very much, but she couldn't honestly say that she was even close to loving him. And she wasn't sure that meeting his parents at this point in time was a good idea. Then she thought about Erik, although there was really nothing to think about. Though he'd apologized to her, it didn't change anything. They could never be more than friends if he didn't believe in her.

Roan returned to the table a few minutes later and he seemed composed, but reticent. "I'm sorry about that," he murmured softly.

"Are you all right?" Christine asked, concerned.

"Yes, I'm all right. I've never been in this position before. I've never had to worry about having a girlfriend or having to fight for someone. But I feel like I do now, or you'll leave."

Christine put her hand on Roan's and felt the need to comfort him. "Roan, I really don't want you to worry about this. I just want us to continue to get to know each other better, and then see where it goes. If we're meant to be together, it'll work out, otherwise, it won't. And you have to understand that Erik's always going to be my friend, but he doesn't believe in me, and that's why we can't be any more than that. Do you understand?"

Roan nodded. "Yes, thank you. You just mean so much to me, Christine."

"You mean a lot to me, too, sweetheart, but I don't want to rush things, I just want it to unfold naturally, the way it's supposed to. Do you think it'd be okay if I postponed dinner with your parents? I'm very flattered that they'd like to meet me, but I just don't think it's the right time yet."

Roan smiled then. "Sure, babe, that'd be fine," and he kissed her.


	51. Tatami Room

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers, and a very special thank you to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101 for not only their outstanding assistance on The Phil, but for for their friendship and unflagging support, both personal and professional. They are my dear friends.

Chapter 51

Tatami Room

_Sunday, late afternoon_

When Erik returned home, he immediately headed to his bedroom and placed his precious booty on the dresser as he opened the safe behind the framed painting. He carefully opened the brown paper bag and took out the Styrofoam packing material. He slit the scotch tape that held it closed for safety and carefully opened the two halves of the Styrofoam. Inside, in individually hollowed spaces, were the six vials of morphine he'd ordered from his contact in the financial district. Paying $1,000 for such a small amount of morphine was outrageous, but to ensure his privacy, he would have paid even more.

He took out four vials and placed them in the back of the safe next to the box of syringes before closing it and replacing the painting. He placed one vial in the music box along with a syringe and the rubber tie that was still in it, and replaced the music box on his bookshelf.

The remaining vial he brought with him into the living room, along with a syringe, another rubber tie, and an alcohol swab. He placed the materials on the coffee table as he walked over to the large window and looked out on his patio. He rolled up his left sleeve as he noticed his potted roses in bloom, and then he turned to look at the topiary that sat in the alcove. It was still beautiful for all his care.

He had hoped his last batch of morphine would have been his last, which was why he'd never bothered to replenish his supply, but he supposed there would always be occasions when he would need it. He walked back to the coffee table and picked up the rubber tie, tying it efficiently around his upper arm, and then tore open the alcohol swab and wiped down the area of his arm which would receive the injection. Picking up the sterile syringe and vial, he uncapped the syringe and filled it with morphine, depressing the syringe slightly to expel the excess air.

He thought again about what he had seen that afternoon…Roan fucking Christine, and Christine crying out in her orgasm…Roan having his orgasm, and depositing his seed into her…

He shut his eyes at the memory. It had been too much. He knew he'd put a little more in the syringe this time than he normally would have, but he felt he needed it. He would never deliberately try to commit suicide, but he was sure he'd be flying pretty high this time, which is what he wanted. He didn't even sit down this time. He wanted to do this standing up. He'd never done it that way before, so this would be different. He placed the syringe against his skin and he saw the vein he wanted. _Christine, I love you so much…you have no idea. You mean the world to me, and I would die for you…_

Erik closed his eyes as he prepared to inject himself.

_YOU STUPID FUCK! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING! _

He opened his eyes.

_YOU FUCKING MORON! You say you can die for her, but anybody can die! Why don't you ask yourself if you can LIVE for her? _

He lowered his arms as he listened to his conscience.

_If you truly love her, then prove it by living for her! Show her! LOVE HER! _

Erik stood there motionless, turning it over and over in his mind. _Live for her…love her…prove you love her by living for her…_

He closed his eyes. He got it…it finally made sense, and he knew what he had to do. He would do everything in his power to win her back. She was the love of his life…and he would love her…

Everything was crystal clear now, and when he opened his eyes, he looked out onto his patio and everything seemed so much clearer now. Everything seemed to glow, or to have an aura. He understood everything, and he realized he was experiencing an epiphany. He wondered how long it would last…he hoped it would last for a long time…

He placed the syringe on the coffee table and untied the rubber tie from around his arm. He walked out onto the patio and looked around. _Everything looks so beautiful…everything's glowing. _He looked over the walls of his garden out into the city and towards the hills, and everything looked beautiful. _I understand _he thought. _I understand everything, I know what I want to do now. Thank you…thank you…_

_

* * *

Sunday evening _

They'd had a wonderful dinner together at home, and now they were lying before the fireplace together enjoying a game of chess. Amir was surprised at Megan's ability with the game for she'd already made a number of very astute moves. If he intended to win this game, he would have to become serious and not be distracted by Megan's gorgeous body, which was now sitting up, one knee bent so that he had a clear and unobstructed view of her shaved pussy. It suddenly occurred to him that she might be sitting this way to deliberately distract him…

Megan saw his eyes flick from her crotch up to her face and then frown at her. She smiled innocently and moved her queen to capture his knight. She took a sip of her margarita and asked, "Something wrong, darling?"

He stood up from his spot on the floor and walked over to her. "Nothing at all, cherie. But I believe we need to balance the scales. He took hold of his length, which was already erect, and rubbed it along her lips, inviting her… "Make me happy, darling," he murmured seductively.

Megan smiled at his invitation and began running her tongue over and around the tip of his cock, sending delicious sensations up his entire length. Amir closed his eyes to savor the feel of her lips around him. Having this beautiful woman at his feet, sucking his stiffened penis was immensely arousing, and he couldn't help the soft moan that escaped his lips. She was sublimely talented…

Megan's lips parted from his cock and he looked down at her. "Time to continue the game," she smiled. He looked at her ruefully and determined to end the game quickly so they could continue where she'd left off.

He was about to take his place on the other side of the board again when there was a sudden tone from his laptop, which he'd left on the table. He was about to go to it when Megan reached over and took his hand. "Amir, please don't."

"I'll only be a moment, darling," he said as he turned toward the computer, but Megan wouldn't let go of his hand.

"Amir, no. Don't answer."

He looked at her curiously. "Why not?"

"Because it's Joanna, and she's coming between us."

He removed his hand from hers and looked at her seriously. "Jealousy does not become you, my dear."

Megan looked after him as he went to sit before the computer and began typing. She felt as if she'd been slapped. She rose and strode quickly to the bedroom, getting dressed and gathering her purse. In a few minutes, Amir came in.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Please take me home."

Amir looked at her blankly, then walked into his closet. When he came out, he was dressed.

"Let's talk about this…" he started.

"No. Please just take me home." Megan was too angry and couldn't trust herself to say something she wouldn't regret later.

Amir retrieved his keys off the dresser. "Fine."

_

* * *

10:00 p.m. _

Christine had just finished reading the online news and was about to turn off her computer and go to bed when an instant message window popped up. She was surprised to see that it was Erik.

EDupont: Good evening, Christine.

AriaMaven: Good evening, Erik. This is a surprise.

EDupont: Indeed. I enjoyed our talk Saturday. Cross any more bridges lately?

AriaMaven: No, I don't think I will be for awhile. I'll leave that to you.

EDupont: I wondered if we could meet for lunch Tuesday.

AriaMaven: I've got school.

EDupont: Then a very early dinner?

AriaMaven: I won't be free until about four.

EDupont: All right. I'll meet you at Miki's at four.

AriaMaven: Okay. Goodnight, Erik.

EDupont: Goodnight, Christine.

She turned off her computer and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth before retiring for the night. She was looking forward to seeing Erik Tuesday. Despite the way they'd ended, she was glad they could still talk and be friendly. She sighed deeply as she looked at herself in the mirror. She'd had a wonderful day with Roan and had loved making love by the rocks. She felt relieved that she didn't have to meet his parents yet.

She climbed into bed and turned out the lights. She wondered how Megan was doing. She hadn't seen nor spoken to her in a few days, which was pretty unusual. Perhaps she would run into her tomorrow at school.

_

* * *

Monday _

Christine awoke at seven and hopped into the shower. Just three more months till graduation, and auditions at the Phil would take place in early May. She'd been doing well in school and knew that a large number of those graduating would also be auditioning at the Phil. Competition would be fierce, for the Phil hired only the best of the best. It had been highly unusual for Joanna to be hired at the end of the season, but her talent spoke for itself. Aside from the graduates of the Conservatory, there would also be those from out of town and internationally. Last year, out of about 250 auditioning sopranos, only five had been hired. Likewise with the dancers, out of 400, only ten were hired. They were offered one-year contracts, but most would stay at least three years to hone their skills before moving on if they wished. Victoria Rinaldi had been there for ten years, and unless she chose to sing internatonally, which had been the expectation, she would probably stay until she retired.

Christine finished her shower, dressed, and applied her make-up. She walked into the kitchen and made herself a quick breakfast of oatmeal and threw a few blackberries and almonds into her bowl for good measure. She'd never eaten breakfast while her parents had been alive, except on weekends, but now that she was on her own, she found that she took better care of herself since there was no one else to look after her, and she realized that she did indeed feel better when she ate breakfast. Her mother had been right all along.

When it was a little after 7:30, she donned her jacket and gathered her backpack and purse and walked out the door. As she turned to lock her deadbolt, something on the floor next to the door caught her eye. She picked it up and saw that it was a perfect blood-red rose with a black ribbon tied around it. She held it up to her nose and sniffed it, and the sensation of its wonderful fragrance affected not only her sense of smell, but also jogged her memories and caused her to feel something in the middle of her chest…

She unlocked her door and walked into the kitchen to prepare a bud vase for her rose. She set it on the coffee table in the living room and prepared to leave again for school, but before closing the door, she looked at the rose in the living room and smiled…

_

* * *

Lunchtime _

Christine sat in her customary spot in the cafeteria while she ate her grilled chicken salad and hoped she would see Megan. A few minutes later, Megan made her way over to their table with a tray of enchiladas and iced tea.

"Hi, stranger, long time no see," Christine quipped. "How've you been?"

Megan opened some sugar packets and began stirring them into her iced tea. "I've been better," she said flatly.

Christine's smile faded as she asked, "What's the matter? What's happened?"

Megan looked up at her and Christine could see a seriousness in her eyes that was rare. "Amir and I had a fight. Well, it wasn't really a fight so much as a 'situation.'"

"So what happened?"

"He took Joanna out to dinner Friday to thank her for filling in during an emergency, and the next day I saw her try to kiss him. He held her back from doing it, but when he took me out Saturday, I kept getting the feeling that he was thinking about her."

"Why? Wasn't he paying attention to you?"

Megan cut up her enchiladas. "That's just it. He was very attentive all night, and when he takes me home to his place, he practically attacks me! That was okay, but then I hear him say Joanna's name in his sleep."

Christine sipped her iced tea. "But that doesn't really prove anything."

"Right, it doesn't. On Sunday we're having this great evening and Joanna IMs him. I grab him and tell him not to answer because she's coming between us, and he tells me that jealousy doesn't become me! When he finishes, I tell him to take me home, and we haven't spoken since."

"So what are you going to do now?"

"I know what I'd damn well like to do!"

"Besides that, what do you want to do?"

Megan ate her enchilada and thought about it before speaking. "I don't know, because it's up to him as far as Joanna's concerned. It'd be one thing if he just wanted to help her, but it's another thing altogether when she goes after him. She already did that once with Erik, and now she's after Amir. She doesn't even care if the man she goes after already has a girlfriend, she just wants what she wants."

"So when will you see Amir again?"

"I don't know. We've never argued before, so I don't know how he'll react."

"Well, this was just your first time, so chances are he'll come around."

Megan looked sad. "I hope so. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me." She took another sip of her iced tea. "But how's everything been with you? What's the story with Roan and Erik now?"

"Well, everything's fine so far. Roan and I are still getting along okay. He took me to the Moss Beach Distillery for brunch yesterday, and that was really nice. They even have a ghost! I met with Erik Friday at the Tea Gardens and we talked. It was a good meeting. I'm going to see him tomorrow afternoon for an early dinner."

"Wow, that's great! I'm really glad things are working out for you right now. I'm still rooting for Erik, though. How far do you think it'll get with Roan?"

Christine shrugged her shoulders. "Beats me, but it kind of reminds me of when I was with Rick. He's good-looking, rich, and responsible, but he just doesn't ring my bell."

Megan could certainly empathize. "I know what you mean. Amir's the only one who's ever done it for me, too. I don't know what I'd do if we ever broke up."

Christine lowered her voice. "You know, truth be known, I wish it _could_ be Erik, but I can't be with someone who doesn't believe in me. At least Roan does."

Megan looked at her curiously. "I just had a thought. Have you ever wondered if you could believe in _them?" _

Christine was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, can you trust _them?" _

Christine thought about this. "Well, there's no reason for me _not_ to trust Roan. I mean, it's just never come up between us. And Erik…well, I did catch him in bed with Joanna, but that was after we broke up. I don't really know how to answer that. Can you trust Amir?"

Megan thought about it as she ate. "To tell you the truth, I really don't know. Before Joanna came into the picture, I would have said yes, but now…I don't know what to think."

They ate the rest of their meal chatting about the end of the school year, the upcoming auditions, and back to their men again. When lunch ended fifteen minutes later, they parted with a promise to get together soon.

_

* * *

Monday evening _

Christine had prepared a simple dinner of spaghetti and meatballs tonight. Roan would be over soon, so she placed the bud vase with Erik's rose in her closet. She knew it would upset Roan to see it, and the last thing she wanted in her life right now was more drama.

They'd fallen into a routine of eating on the coffee table in the living room while sitting on the floor watching a movie, but of late, the movie had become more background than anything else as they talked and caught up with each other from the day before.

At 7:00, there was a knock on the door, and as Christine opened it, Roan smiled broadly and held before him a bouquet of beautiful mixed flowers. "Hi, sweetheart, happy day before Valentine's!"

Christine grinned as she accepted the flowers and hugged him. "Oh, Roan, thank you…they're beautiful! Come in and make yourself comfortable. I'll put these in a vase."

Christine arranged them artfully in a crystal vase and placed them on the kitchen table. She prepared plates of spaghetti for both of them and poured glasses of iced tea and brought them into the living room. Roan had already popped a DVD into the player and they settled down to eat.

"Great spaghetti, sweetheart. Another family recipe?"

Christine nodded. "As a matter of fact, it is. That recipe is over 100 years old, and I'm still waiting for your trout almandine recipe."

"Right, I'll e-mail it to you. Where would you like to go tomorrow night for Valentine's dinner?"

Christine twirled her spaghetti around her fork as her mind raced, knowing she would already have had dinner with Erik by then. "You know, I really wouldn't mind if we stayed home instead of go out and fight the crowds. Maybe we could just nosh on appetizers. Would you mind?"

"No, I don't mind, as long as we're together. Why don't you come over around six or seven?"

"Okay, that'd be great," she smiled, relieved.

They ate their dinner in peace and conversed as they watched the movie, and when they'd finished dinner, they rinsed the dishes and loaded the dishwasher before retiring to the living room couch, eventually reclining side by side as the hour grew late.

Christine felt very comfortable in Roan's arms as they watched the final scenes of the movie, and Roan evidently felt the same as he fondled her under her top. When the movie ended, Christine turned over to face him, and Roan kissed her tenderly, thankful for their bond.

"Stay with me tonight," Christine said softly.

"Really?"

"Really," and she kissed him.

They rose from the couch and turned out the lights as they retired to the bedroom. The lamp on the nightstand was on and they undressed quickly and climbed into bed. Roan kissed her again, and then proceeded to kiss her neck and her breasts, sucking on her nipples as he reached down to feel her wetness. How he loved the feel of her. He'd be damned if Erik was going to take this away from him.

He moved down in the bed and between her legs as he began to feast within her pink folds and then upon her swollen clit. Christine was moving her hips and moaning with the sensations he was stirring, and he loved the taste of her as he thrust his tongue within. Her fingers were wound through his hair as she pulled him further into her, and as she began to tremble ominously, her breathing now coming in ragged gasps, he concentrated all of his efforts on her clit, causing her to cry out as she suddenly orgasmed, and it was all he could do to hold her down as his tongue continued to minister to her center of passion.

When she finally came down from her climax, she was breathing deeply and covered with a light sheen of perspiration. Roan climbed on top of her and inserted himself gently into her, feeling her swollen tunnel embrace his cock. Christine wrapped her arms around him and moved with him as he pumped into her, and he soon climaxed, spilling himself into her copiously. When he was done, they both fell asleep within minutes in each other's arms.

_

* * *

__Tuesday morning, February 14_

The alarm went off at 7:00, stirring each of them from their pleasant dreams. Roan dressed quickly and wished her a happy Valentine's Day before he left so he could get home and hop in his shower before changing and heading off to work, and Christine grabbed her robe as she made her way to her own shower. They'd had a pleasant evening and she'd enjoyed having sex with him. She'd see Erik this evening after school at Miki's, which was in the industrial section of town.

When she finished with her shower, she quickly dressed and applied her make-up. She grabbed her jacket and backpack and would be out the door in another five minutes when she suddenly heard a knock. _Who the hell would be calling at 7:30 in the morning?_

"Who is it?" she called.

"Messenger service."

She looked out the peep hole and saw a man in a delivery uniform and opened the door. He held a large arrangement of blood-red roses in a beautiful crystal vase, this one in a modern configuration, but again with a large black ribbon tied around the base. She signed for it and brought it into the living room.

They were gorgeous and wonderfully fragrant, and it had a card stuck in a holder. She opened the small envelope and saw Erik's graceful hand which read:

_Happy Valentine's Day_

_To My Angel of Music_

_Erik_

She smiled as she looked at the beautiful arrangement. She suddenly looked up at the clock and realized in a panic that she had just fifteen minutes to get to school, find a park, and make it to her first class. She quickly threw on her jacket and grabbed her purse and backpack as she hurriedly locked the door and made her way to her car.

As she hurriedly drove to school through morning traffic, she thought about Erik's gift and his efforts to talk to her. She knew that whatever Erik had to say would be for the sole purpose of winning her back, but what good would any of this do when the issue involved trust? How could she ever know that he truly trusted her?

_

* * *

Tuesday afternoon _

Although she knew without a doubt that there were 24 hours in a day, Christine could have sworn that the hours today had slowed down. She rarely watched the clock when she was in school for she was normally very busy with assignments and singing, but she must have checked the time every half hour from the moment she arrived until school let out at three. She hurried home and made herself presentable, re-applying her make-up, brushing out her hair and tying it back, and changing into a casual dress and modest heels. _This isn't a date_ she reminded herself. _He just wants to talk. _

As she drove to the industrial section of town, she had to admit she was nervous. This would be her first time at Miki's because she rarely went into the industrial district, so she generated a map online so she wouldn't get lost. When she finally found it, she was rather surprised by the plain and rather run-down look of the exterior of the restaurant, definitely not the sort of establishment she would have imagined Erik Dupont to frequent. She parked on the street, for there weren't many cars out at this late hour of the afternoon, and then hesitantly walked up to the entrance. She pulled open the glass door to the restaurant and walked in.

When she caught her first glimpse of the interior, she was amazed at the spaciousness of the dining room, as well as the clean, minimalist lines of the Japanese décor. A few tables were occupied by diners, but none of them were Erik. A Japanese hostess dressed in a kimono approached her with a kind smile and bowed her head. _"Irá-shai!" __(Welcome!)_

Christine smiled and said softly, "Um, I'm here to meet Mr. Dupont."

The hostess bowed and directed her to a private tatami room. Christine had never been in one before, but there were two steps leading up into the room, and she saw that Erik's shoes had been removed and placed to the side on the steps, so she followed suit and removed her shoes as well.

The hostess opened the sliding door for her and Erik stood as Christine entered.


	52. Chess Game

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 52

Chess Game

_February 14_

_4:00 p.m. Miki's_

"Happy Valentine's Day, cherie, and thank you for coming," Erik smiled as he welcomed Christine into the private room. He helped her remove her coat and hung it on the coat rack. "Please sit here," he instructed, and she took her place on a backed cushion on the floor next to him. A waitress entered the room then and brought a tray of green tea and pickled vegetables and left their menus before closing the sliding door.

"Erik, thank you for the roses. I got them this morning and they're just beautiful," she smiled sincerely.

"I'm glad you like them, my dear."

"And this room," Christine looked around, "I've never sat on the floor before in a Japanese restaurant!"

"Well, this is how they do it back home," Erik explained, amused. "You'll notice that our cushions have backs to them for our comfort. They didn't have that back in the old days."

He poured some green tea in her teacup and them for himself, and then unwrapped his chopsticks from the wrapper and separated the two halves. He picked up some pickled vegetables with them and held it up to her lips. "Try some sunomono, it's very good."

Christine opened her mouth as he fed her, and smiled as she chewed the crispy greens. "Mmm, good," she grinned.

Erik smiled at her reaction and ate some himself. "I do believe Japanese food is the finest in the world…next to French, that is," he winked. "Not only is it very healthy, but it's tasty."

Christine had to admire the fact that whenever she'd been with Erik, she had eaten very well. She wondered if he ever ate junk food or fast food like most of the population, but then decided he didn't since he was so fit. She was just glad that he ate normally and wasn't a health food nut like so many Californians. When their waitress returned, they ordered dinners of tempura and teriyaki chicken, as well as an assortment of sushi.

Christine sipped her green tea. "Thank you for inviting me," she said softly. "It's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you, too, Christine," he said sincerely. "I've been thinking about the conversation we had Saturday. I'm glad we were able to talk."

"Yes, I am, too. I learned a lot about you, and I appreciated you opening up to me. The things you'd been through…it must have been very difficult as a child. Many people had let you down."

Erik looked away. "Yes, and it leaves a mark, even if you don't wish it. Amir is my closest friend, yet it took years before I came to trust him. It's always been difficult for me to trust, but I don't want it to be any more…not with you," he said softly as he turned to her.

Christine could tell that he was sincere, but she still felt guarded. She still couldn't forget that day…

The sliding doors opened then and their waitress brought the first course of miso soup and some sushi, while she cleared away the small empty bowls that held the pickled vegetables.

When they tried the soup, Christine found that it was excellent, as was the sushi. As she ate, Erik watched her subtly when she wasn't looking and appreciated all that she was, just as he had on their first date. Had it really been two and a half months since they'd been together? _God, how I've missed you, Christine. I want to gather you up in my arms this very moment and tell you how much I love you, and how deeply I regret the pain I've caused you… _

Their waitress returned minutes later with their entrées, which looked wonderful and decorative, as well as the rest of their sushi order, and Christine could actually feel her mouth watering. There was a perfect presentation of spider rolls, caterpillar rolls, monkey balls, eel rolls, and sashimi. The spider rolls looked especially delectable with the arms of soft-shell crab sticking up from the sushi roll alongside sprigs of baby watercress wrapped in rice and seaweed. Erik picked up this sushi with his fingers and held it up to her lips, and Christine took a bite from it with a smile, savoring the incredibly fresh flavors. Erik smiled as he saw her expression and took a bite from the same morsel. Christine was strongly reminded of their time on the island when they'd fed each other pieces of sushi, and it made her sad in a bittersweet sort of way.

"This food reminds me of what we had on the island," Christine said as she looked at another piece of sushi. "Am I right?" she smiled.

"You're quite observant, cherie. Yes, these people make the best Japanese food in the city, but their location helps keep it a secret. That's the way they want it."

The rest of their dinner was wonderful and Christine enjoyed it immensely. Erik noticed that she didn't feed him a piece of sushi as she had on the island, and he was disappointed, but not surprised. He would court her as long as necessary to get her back.

For dessert, they each had a refreshing bowl of strawberry sherbet to cleanse their palate. Erik noticed with some amusement that Christine had a little bit on the side of her mouth. He wished he could kiss it off as he would have on any other occasion, but instead, he merely wiped it off gently with his own napkin.

"Enjoying your sherbet?" he asked, smiling.

"Mmm-hmm," she replied happily through a mouthful. She was so adorable, Erik could only smile.

As they neared the end of their meal, Erik wished it didn't have to end so soon. He enjoyed being with her again and wished it could always be so.

Christine looked up from her sherbet after she'd eaten the last bit and said softly, "You know, whenever I turn on the radio, I hear your song wherever I go. It's like you're always with me."

"It's your song," Erik corrected gently, "and I am always with you. The mobile you made for me hangs in my living room by the window. Do you remember what you told me when I first unwrapped it?"

"'No matter where I am, whenever you hear it, you'll know that I'm thinking of you and that I love you.'" Christine's voice faded to a whisper, and she could feel the tears gathering in her eyes, and in her heart, the familiar pain. She didn't want to cry and tried to blink back the tears.

Erik looked at her gently. "Yes, and the topiary still blooms, for the love that I give it."

A tear fell, and then another. She couldn't stop it. Erik reached out and captured a tear on his finger. "My Christine…" he whispered.

She couldn't take this any more, it was too much… She stood from the table because she didn't want to sit there crying. She moved towards the coat rack so she could retrieve her coat and leave, but her tears were almost blinding, and she had started to sob quietly when she suddenly felt strong arms embrace her. Erik was next to her and he was holding her as her shoulders shook with sobs. "It's all right, my love," he whispered. "It's all right. Everything will be all right. I will always be here for you…"

When her sobs finally subsided and she had calmed sufficiently, she wiped the tears from her face and lifted her head from Erik's chest.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that," she said brokenly. "Thank you for dinner, I have to go now." She took her coat from the hook and Erik held it up for her as she slipped it on.

"Thank you for coming tonight."

"Goodnight, Erik."

"Goodnight, Christine."

_

* * *

6:00 p.m. _

Megan was wondering what she wanted for dinner and considered Mexican food when she suddenly heard a soft knock on the door. She looked out the peep hole and was surprised to see Amir on the other side. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see that he held a bouquet of flowers and a heart-shaped box of candy.

"Happy Valentine's Day," he smiled gently.

Megan smiled uncertainly as he offered the flowers and candy to her. She took them, and then looked at him questioningly. She opened the door wider for him to enter. "Thank you. What brings you out this way?"

"I wondered if I could take you out for Valentine's Day dinner." He felt a little nervous having to approach her in this manner for this was a new experience for him.

"Why?" she asked innocently. She didn't want to make this too easy for him.

"Why? Because…you mean a great deal to me, cherie. I don't like when we fight, and I didn't want it to go on. I want us to be back together again like before."

Megan looked away and cast her eyes downward. _Why can't he just say the words? _

"Megan, please come to dinner with me," he entreated.

"All right," she said softly. "Let me get changed." She was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans and thought to change into a dress before Amir stopped her.

"That won't be necessary, cherie. I know you like Mexican food, so I thought we'd go to a Mexican restaurant tonight. The atmosphere is very casual."

And indeed Amir was dressed casually, so she smiled then and went to her bedroom to retrieve her purse and put on some boots, and then to the hall closet to retrieve her jacket. She thought she'd be spending Valentine's Day alone, but was glad that Amir had remembered.

As they drove through town, Megan noticed the dark rain clouds and a few drops hitting the windshield. She realized they were heading towards Chinatown and Christine's neighborhood and wondered if Amir knew that Christine lived just down the street. After Amir parked in the restaurant parking lot and they made their way down the sidewalk, Megan was surprised to see they were indeed headed for Burrito Express.

Amir held the door open for her as they entered, and they were immediately drawn by the warmth of the dining room and the beautiful strains of Mexican guitar music. A young waitress dressed in an attractive peasant blouse and skirt greeted them and led the way to a quiet booth in the corner. She inquired as to what they would like to drink, and they both opted for the Burrito Express Margarita Especial. "Why is this margarita recipe special?" Amir asked the waitress with a smile.

When he directed his dazzling smile towards her, the young woman immediately blushed and became flustered. "Oh! Um...when you taste it, you'll know why…it's just wonderful!... It was made by my brother…he's a cook here sometimes. Your waiter will come bring your drinks and he'll take your order!" She hurried back to the kitchen and Amir and Megan looked at each other before smiling.

"I think she's smitten," Megan grinned. "You really should bottle that smile, it's dangerous."

Amir snorted softly. "Erik and I are after the perfect margarita recipe. We've come close, but it still eludes us."

"Did you know that Christine lives just down the street?"

"Really? I didn't know that. It's a charming neighborhood. So what's happening between our two friends now?"

Megan smiled. "They're talking again, so that's a start, but Christine is still dating Roan. Haven't you spoken to Erik?"

"Actually, no, we've both been pretty busy. Is Christine very close to Roan?"

"They're close, but I'm still rooting for Erik. I really think they belong together. What do you think?"

Amir smiled at this. "I agree. Mr. Richards has much going for him, but my money's on Erik. He's quite capable." Actually, there was very little that he felt Erik could _not_ do, and if he was determined to win Christine back, then Amir was certain he would, regardless of who she was currently dating.

The waiter approached their table then and brought their two margaritas on a tray along with chips and salsa. The glasses looked very decorative with salt encircling the rim with a slice of lime. "Your margaritas," the waiter said cheerfully as he placed the glasses on coasters, eliciting smiles from both of them.

"Alex, what a surprise!" Megan was pleased to see him.

"You're not kidding, I wasn't expecting to work tonight!" he grinned.

Megan chuckled and looked over at Amir, who seemed amused. "Alex, I'd like to introduce you to my boyfriend, Amir Khan."

"Very pleased to meet you, sir," Alex smiled as he shook Amir's hand. Megan noticed Alex cock his eyebrow as he shook his hand.

"My pleasure," Amir smiled back.

"And what would you like to order this evening?" he asked pleasantly.

Megan glanced back at her menu and pointed at her favorite dish. "I'll have the chile verde dinner with flour tortillas and ranch dressing on my salad."

"Very good, and you, sir?"

"I'll have the carne asada dinner, no tortillas, and oil and vinegar on my salad."

"Thank you, it'll be just a few minutes." Alex collected their menus and returned to the kitchen.

Amir watched as Alex walked away. "He seems like a very nice fellow."

"He's a friend of Christine's, and he is very nice."

Amir smiled as he dipped a corn chip in the salsa.

Megan was feeling relaxed and was glad that she and Amir seemed to be mending their fences. She wondered if they would actually be able to resolve the problem that had developed their rift in the first place and thought this might be a good time to broach the subject.

"Darling, what happened to us the other night? We were having such a wonderful time and things changed so suddenly."

Amir looked at her seriously, but gently. "Yes, Joanna IM'd me and you didn't want me to respond to her."

Megan sipped her margarita. "Babe, please tell me how we can work through this. I'm not jealous, but I just don't think she needs to IM you every night if you see her every day at work. I'd like it to be just us for an entire night without any interruptions."

Amir took her hand across the table. "I understand how you feel, cherie, but please try to understand my position. Joanna is trying very hard and she's doing well, but Victoria makes it very difficult for her. She IMs me so that I can encourage her to face another day. She's very fragile, and I'm just trying to help her hang in there and not quit."

Megan understood his dedication to his cast and crew, but she felt he wasn't understanding Joanna's not-so-hidden agenda. "I think it's wonderful that you want to help her, sweetheart, but I don't think you understand that she's trying to break us up."

Amir looked at her dubiously. "How do you come to that conclusion, cherie?"

Megan hoped she'd be able to make him understand without coming across like a jealous harpy. "Well, she has a history with Erik, and now she's trying to develop a relationship with you by IM'ing you every night. Can you honestly say that she's never tried to flirt with you at work?"

Amir wasn't going for it. "Her relationship with Erik was a different situation, and I explained why she IM's me. And no, she's never seriously flirted with me at work."

"But she has flirted with you?"

"Not seriously."

"How do you know?"

"Honestly, darling, I think I can tell when someone is seriously flirting with me," he answered wryly.

Megan was becoming frustrated by his apparent blindness. "Amir, women understand other women just as I'm sure you understand other men, and I'm telling you that she's after you, and she doesn't care if you have a girlfriend or not."

Amir was silent for awhile and sipped his margarita as though thinking of a way to bring this conversation to a close. "Darling, I've explained about Joanna IM'ing me and I hope you can understand why I do it now. Let's not talk about this any more and just enjoy tonight. Can we?"

Megan wasn't sure it was settled, but decided to acquiesce for the sake of peace. When their dinners were brought to them, it was hot and wonderful and they enjoyed it very much. When they finished dining, Amir took Megan home around eight. Since she had to get up in the morning before he did, she invited him to spend the night, which he readily agreed to, and she would meet him at his apartment tomorrow when he got off of work.

They stayed up for awhile and then went to bed by ten, but didn't fall asleep until close to eleven. Megan laid in Amir's arms as her back was spooned to his front, and she cuddled closer to him, loving that they were still connected. She loved the feel of his bare skin, his unique scent, and thankful that all was well again…

* * *

Christine had driven straight over to Roan's after leaving Miki's for it was close to 6:00 and he was expecting her. She wiped her eyes with a tissue and hoped he wouldn't notice that she'd been crying. Her dinner with Erik had been wonderful, but she hadn't expected it to end as it had, with her heart again remembering what she'd lost, and hoped to forget. 

By the time she arrived at Roan's apartment building, it had begun raining lightly. She took the elevator up to his floor and walked down the hall, hesitating just outside his door. She made sure her hair was presentable and that her eyes were free of tears before she knocked softly. Roan opened the door and happily bade her enter, hugging and kissing her warmly before inviting her to make herself comfortable in the living room. He hung her coat up in the closet, but rather than sit in the living room, Christine went instead into the bathroom and locked the door. When she looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes still looked red and a little puffy, so she wet her face with cold water. When she returned to the living room, Roan was waiting for her. He had prepared a couple of frothy drinks and a tray of delicious looking appetizers.

"There she is!" he teased. "How was your day, hon? Have you been crying?"

"My allergies," she said hesitantly. "It doesn't bother me most of the times, but just once in awhile." She was a terrible liar and she knew it, but she still felt it was better than Roan becoming upset over something he had no control over.

"I prepared some light snacks to take us through the evening. Have a seat, I have something for you."

Christine thought he seemed anxious for their evening and smiled as he retrieved a small gift-wrapped box from the table.

"This is for you, sweetheart. Happy Valentine's Day," he grinned.

"Oh, Roan, but I didn't get anything for you!" she said guiltily.

"Don't worry about it, just open it," he said eagerly.

Christine unwrapped it carefully and uncovered a beautiful wooden gift box. When she opened it, a gorgeous diamond-cut tanzanite ring with a white-gold band shined up at her.

"Oh, Roan...it's beautiful…" She was unable to say more. She was thinking of Erik and their dinner earlier today, and now…

"I love you, Christine," he said softly, and he kissed her lips gently. He took the box from her and removed the ring. Taking her left hand, he placed it on her ring finger. It was a perfect fit, and it looked beautiful on her. He kissed her fingers and smiled, pleased with her reaction.

She felt she didn't deserve the ring, nor his love. _I'm a liar _she thought, _and I'm going to Hell…_

_

* * *

Wednesday afternoon _

It was 5:00 and time to go home. It had been a long day and Amir looked forward to seeing Megan, who would meet him at his apartment. He was glad that things had worked out between them yesterday and that they could just get back to enjoying one another again.

He turned off his desk lamp and was about to walk out of his office when the door suddenly opened and Joanna rushed in with a stack of papers.

"Hi, I'm glad I caught you before you left! You left these in the pit and the conductor told me to give them to you." Joanna seemed a little out of breath, so she no doubt ran to catch up with him.

"That's very kind of you, thank you," he smiled. He looked them over and then placed them in the top file on his desk and then turned to go out the door. As he reached for the doorknob, Joanna placed her hand on his to stop him from opening it.

He looked at her questioningly.

She placed her hand on his chest, but he grabbed both of her hands and held her away from him. "Joanna, why are you doing this? You know I'm with someone."

She gently released her hands from his and placed them on either side of his torso as she brought her face up to his and whispered softly, "Are you?" and she claimed his lips in a euphoric kiss that sent his mind reeling, her tongue caressing his so exquisitely that he would have been unable to stop had it even occurred to him. She was incredible, taking him to unknown heights… He couldn't stop…he didn't want to. She was superb in every way that mattered at this moment, and he loved everything about her…her taste, the way she felt, her scent, her passion…

_

* * *

5:30 p.m. _

When Amir walked in, Megan was in the living room by the fire in the fireplace. She was dressed comfortably in a soft robe and had made him his favorite drink, which she now brought to him.

"Welcome home, baby, you're a little late. Finishing up some work?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him warmly.

Amir took the drink from her and sipped it. "Mmm, that's good. Thank you, darling. Yes, I was just finishing up. Let me get changed and I'll be right with you."

Megan made herself comfortable on the couch as she waited. She was glad they could be together tonight…but, she sensed something. _This is ridiculous. We just got back together. Everything's all right…we're going to be fine…_

As Amir undressed in his closet, he thought of Joanna. _I can't stop thinking about her, even when I'm with Megan…_

He donned a robe and joined Megan in the living room. He sat next to her on the couch as he draped an arm behind her and stroked her blonde mane. "Shall we finish our chess game from last night, darling? I have to finish beating you, and then we can play something else..."

Megan snorted. "I beg your pardon? As I recall, I was beating _you_, but perhaps you'd forgotten, or maybe you didn't want to remember…"

Amir smiled. "Very amusing."

Megan stood and approached the fireplace as she began setting up the chess pieces. "Fine, then. I'll just have to teach you another lesson…and beat you like I own you," she muttered under her breath.

Amir grinned as he embraced her. He unbuttoned her robe until it fell at her feet. "Before this night is over, we'll see who owns whom," he murmured seductively, his thoughts still divided...


	53. Rare and Beautiful

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 53

Rare and Beautiful

_Thursday afternoon_

Amir smiled fondly as he remembered last night with Megan, playing chess, talking, making love…

Yet, even as he thought of her now, he found his thoughts turning more and more to Joanna throughout the day. When he went downstairs to check backstage during the matinee, he would catch sight of her, and she would look at him knowingly and smile. Even when he returned to his office to give attention to his other duties, he found his time taken up with thoughts of her, and when he would look back down at his work, realize that he'd done nothing worthwhile.

He rose from his chair and paced. _She's beautiful, charming, well-educated, and talented, and she obviously wants me. Why does she haunt me so? _But he knew why. It was because he'd never had to hold back before whenever he'd wanted someone. If he saw a beautiful woman that he wanted, he went after her, and eventually, always got what he wanted. But being committed to someone now changed everything…

When he looked at the clock, he saw that it was almost a quarter to five. Megan was at his apartment and he had promised to take her out, so he couldn't be late. It was still a few minutes before quitting time, so he went to stand by the window and look out over the city. From here, he could see San Francisco Bay and the ships entering and leaving. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to relax himself. Behind him, he heard his door open as someone entered and then closed the door. He didn't move, but when no one spoke, he turned around. It was Joanna, who had seated herself on the edge of his desk.

"It's almost time to go home," he said, surprised. "What brings you up here?"

"You," she said playfully, pushing herself from the desk. "I wanted to see you, and thank you for encouraging me."

"That's my job, it's only what I'm supposed to do."

She approached until she stood very close to him. "Yes, but you've gone above and beyond just your job duties to encourage me, and I'm very grateful," she said softly.

She looked up at him, and again he could feel himself falling into pools of blue, her heady fragrance, her seductive voice, her unearthly beauty …

She placed her hand tentatively on his chest...and suddenly he was kissing her deeply, she returning his kisses with equal passion. He couldn't get enough, and he unconsciously placed his hands on her breasts, cupping and squeezing them as he felt her nipples through her clothes. He wanted more of her… He was losing himself…falling…soon he would be lost…

Abruptly, he pulled himself away, and he looked at her before turning and walking to his desk. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to collect himself. She moved next to him and touched his arm.

"Amir, are you all right?"

He opened his eyes. "Yes, I'm fine, but I have to go. We'll see you tomorrow." Joanna stepped back from him and turned to leave his office. She closed the door on her way out. Amir remained standing for awhile, thinking, staring blankly at the lighted painting that graced the wall behind his desk, until he finally went over to his chair to retrieve his sports coat. He left his office and locked the door behind him, making his way to the parking garage.

As he drove the ten minutes through evening traffic to get to his apartment, he thought about Joanna and about what was happening. He couldn't resist her…and he wanted her. He couldn't deny it.

When he'd parked his car and taken the elevator to his floor, he hesitated at his door. He smoothed down his hair and wiped his lips to hide any evidence of what he'd just come from, and then entered his apartment.

Megan was sitting in a chair in the living room but rose the moment he came through the door. "Hi, sweetheart, welcome home. Did you want to rest for a few minutes before we go to dinner?" She came over and kissed him.

Amir smiled and hugged her warmly. "No, that's not necessary. Let's go now."

They rode the elevator down to the parking garage and took the BMW to the Hong Kong Inn, a hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant known for their excellent cuisine. It was in old town San Francisco, and as they entered the restaurant, they were greeted warmly by an attractive Chinese waitress who led them to a cozy booth and left them two menus.

As Megan looked around, she loved the old fashioned décor of the small neighborhood restaurant. The seats in the booths were dark red and there were tasseled Chinese lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Their menus were covered in plastic sleeves and looked well-worn. It was cozy and familiar, and she loved it.

"How was work today, sweetheart?" she asked as she looked over her menu.

"It was fine. How was school?" Amir looked over his own menu.

"Okay. Everyone's gearing up for finals. It's still three months away, but it'll be here before you know it. And I've been made lead dancer for the year-end production. It'll open for the last weekend in May."

She looked up expectantly, ready to receive a word of encouragement or congratulations, but Amir said nothing, still engrossed in his menu. When he didn't say anything after a few seconds, she continued, "…and then I'll take my clothes off and finish the last number naked." She looked at him, and he was still looking at his menu, but she could tell he wasn't reading it because his eyes weren't moving. She put her menu down and watched him, wondering how long it would take for him to notice.

It actually didn't take long at all. Without moving, he glanced up and observed Megan staring at him.

"Have you decided on what you'd like to order?" he asked.

She looked at him and sighed. "Amir, what's the matter? Did something happen at work?"

He put his menu down. "No, why? What's the matter?"

"I've been trying to talk to you, but you're somewhere else."

"I'm sorry, darling. Just thinking about things I need to do."

They ordered their dinner and tried to enjoy the remainder of their meal, but it was obvious to Megan that Amir's mind was elsewhere. Never one to pry into his personal affairs, she kept her conversation to a minimum, and this seemed to suit Amir just fine.

They returned home before eight and relaxed in the living room before the fire. Megan noticed that Amir still seemed somewhat preoccupied, and so chose to leave him alone, but wondered if there was anything she could do to help. They sat together on opposite ends of the couch, facing each other, and again concentrated on their own activities, Amir on his laptop, and Megan with a new thriller.

_

* * *

8:30 p.m. _

EDupont: Good evening, Christine.

AriaMaven: Good evening, Erik.

EDupont: How are you tonight?

AriaMaven: I'm well, thank you. And you?

EDupont: Very well. I wondered if we might have lunch tomorrow?

AriaMaven: Tomorrow?

There was a pause as Christine thought about Roan. Erik wondered if hoping she would be free at the last minute had been a mistake. At last there was a response.

AriaMaven: About what time?

EDupont: Would 1:00 be good for you?

AriaMaven: Yes, that would be fine.

EDupont: Wonderful. I'll meet you at Marmalade on Russian Hill.

AriaMaven: Okay. Bye.

EDupont: Bye.

_

* * *

9:00 p.m. _

It was almost nine when the instant message tone sounded on Amir's laptop. Megan looked up from her book then and met Amir's eyes as he looked up at the same time. She didn't say anything, but sighed, her message clear. Amir turned back to his laptop and began to respond. Megan decided to return to her book, but happened to glance at the clock and took note of the time.

Her novel was certainly gripping and reading often kept her riveted for hours, so it was no surprise when the next time she looked up, it was 10:30. A familiar tone caught her attention then and she looked up to see Amir _still_ conversing with Joanna. _He's been talking to her for an hour and a half when he's hardly had anything to say to me all night! _

Immediately incensed, she rose from the couch and strode to the kitchen with her book to find something to eat to help assuage her anger. She put on a kettle to make tea and found some pistachios in the pantry to snack on while she waited for her water to boil. She laid out a paper towel for the shells and munched on pistachios while she sat at the counter trying to read, but found it impossible. She wondered how much more of Joanna she could tolerate. She was dipping her tea bag in a mug of hot water by the time Amir came looking for her several minutes later.

"How's Joanna?" she asked coldly.

Amir looked at her. "She's fine, I was encouraging her. What's the matter?"

Megan stopped what she was doing and looked at him, her anger barely in check. "What's the matter?" she asked sarcastically. "You hardly speak to me all night, yet you don't mind spending an hour and a half talking to Joanna. Do you see anything wrong with this picture!" she said, her voice rising.

"I've already explained to you about Joanna and I'm not going to go over it again, Megan," he said angrily.

"Really? Well it just strikes me as odd that someone as 'beautiful and as talented' as her can't find anyone else to be friends with other than _you!" _she shouted. "I don't need this!"

Amir gazed at her evenly. "No, you don't need this," he said calmly. "Neither do I." He picked up his keys and headed for the door.

Megan stared at his retreating back, she couldn't believe he was leaving. "Where are you going?"

He didn't look back.

"Out."

_

* * *

Friday _

Marmalade was a very small neighborhood diner in the Russian Hill section of San Francisco, just north of the monied Nob Hill. Everything about this restaurant was charming and quaint, and Erik loved the genteel décor and attention to detail, from the dark wood to the old-world tapestries, and from the laced curtains to the fresh white roses on each table. Because it was a small neighborhood diner, it was never overly crowded, yet had a steady clientele. Today, aside from himself, only two other tables were occupied.

Erik was seated at a table near the back when Christine arrived, and as she approached, he stood to pull her chair out for her.

"You look wonderful, mon cherie…how are you?" he smiled gently.

Christine took her seat and replied happily, "I'm fine, been studying for finals. Only three more months till graduation."

Their waitress brought them two menus and asked if they would like to order something to drink, and they both requested iced tea.

"Will you be auditioning for the Phil in May?" Erik asked.

"Of course, along with just about every other graduating performance major. I've already spoken to my counselor and he's given me the audition guidelines for singers. It's still three months away, but it makes me nervous just thinking about it."

"You'll be fine, cherie. You have a wonderful and uncommon gift, and I'm sure you'll do very well. Will Ms. Gerard also be auditioning?"

"Yes, she will. She's dancing the lead in the year-end production, and I think she's one of the best dancers in the school. How many do you think the Phil will hire this year?"

"It's hard to say. We don't have a quota, we merely hire all we think qualify, which usually isn't very many. The Phil is a world-class theatre, so anyone who is hired here could just as well be hired anywhere else. A good example is Joanna. She came in at the end of the season, which is highly unusual, but she's very good."

Christine acknowledged that Joanna was talented, but considering their history, didn't wish to talk about her. "Will you be one of the judges?"

"Yes, there will be five of us, and all must agree for someone to be hired. That's another reason so few are. All of the judges are experts in their field, and where something might get past one judge, it won't get past all of them. This system has worked out well for us."

Their waitress returned with their beverages and took their orders. Christine had been here before when she dated Rick, and she loved dining in this quaint setting. It was romantic and charming and the food was always very well prepared and attractively presented.

Erik glanced down at her hand. "That's a beautiful ring. A gift?"

"Um, yes, it is." She automatically removed her hand from the table and placed it in her lap.

Erik smiled. "No need to be embarrassed, my dear. I understand that Mr. Richards would want to surprise you from time to time. It's only natural."

"I forgot I even had it on," Christine murmured apologetically.

"How is Mr. Richards these days?" Erik asked politely.

"He's fine." She really couldn't think of anything more to say about him.

"Are you happy with him, Christine?" he asked gently.

"Yes, of course," she said…but not quickly enough. Erik noticed the split-second hesitation in her voice and her forced smile, and had in fact been watching her closely for just such a reaction.

"Well, I'm happy to hear that," he said softly.

The waitress arrived then and served their lunch, which was appetizers of caviar on toasted triangles, a pear salad with mixed baby greens with a slice of fried brie, a plate of linguini with mizithra cheese, and a couple cranberry scones with a side of marmalade.

Christine was enjoying her lunch immensely. She spread a bit of marmalade on her scone and loved it. Lunch was truly elegant, and being here with Erik seemed so right. As she looked up at him, she noticed he was watching her with a smile, and she couldn't help but smile back. She felt very comfortable with him, and his smile was gentle, accepting…inviting. She wondered then where her life would be six months from now. Would she still be with Roan? Would she be working at the Phil? Would she be happy?

"A penny for your thoughts, cherie?" Erik asked, interrupting her reverie.

Christine looked up and smiled. "I was just wondering where I'd be in six months. A lot can happen in that time."

"Indeed. You'll be out of school, working, probably singing."

"Yes…." Christine looked down at her plate. She was actually wondering who she would be with in six months.

Erik had no doubt.

When they finished their meal, their waitress brought a bowl of chocolate ice cream for them to share. Erik scooped the first little bit on his spoon and leaned in closely as he held the spoon up to her lips. Christine wasn't expecting him to come so close and froze as he stared deeply into her eyes, looking seriously seductive. Her mind went blank, and all she could see were pools of incredibly beautiful amber…

"Christine…"

From far away, she heard him say her name. He was so close…

"Christine…"

"Hmm?"

He touched her lips gently with the spoon that held the ice cream and she realized with a start that she was supposed to eat it. She opened her mouth and he placed the spoon inside. She wondered how long she'd been staring at him and could feel her cheeks becoming warm.

Erik sat back in his chair and smiled gently as he watched her. "May I see you tomorrow?" he asked softly.

Still a little flustered, she answered hesitantly. "Um, I'm not sure. Roan might have something planned."

"Or he might not. Come with me tomorrow, Christine. I want to show you something rare and beautiful."

Christine wondered about the propriety of seeing Erik so often when she already had a boyfriend, even if it was just to talk. Roan would never understand, and he'd probably be very angry. Still, she had to admit that Roan hadn't mentioned any plans to her, and she was curious now as to what this rare and beautiful thing was that Erik wished to show her. Knowing Erik, she knew it had to be something very special. She decided. "All right. What time?"

"One o'clock. May I pick you up? It's across town."

"All right, I'll be ready at one."

When they finished dessert, their waitress brought them a couple of scones in a bag along with a sampler jar of their signature marmalade, which was complimentary for all their customers. When Erik had paid their tab, he walked Christine out to her car.

"Thank you for lunch, Erik. I really enjoyed it," Christine smiled.

"You're welcome, my dear, I'm glad we could spend some time together. I'll look forward to seeing you tomorrow."

"Me, too."

Christine opened her car door and was about to hop in when Erik unexpectedly took her hand. When she turned, he had brought it up to his lips and kissed it gently. Christine was surprised by this tender gesture and looked at him uncertainly, but he returned her gaze lovingly and smiled crookedly in that way she'd always loved.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said softly.

"Goodbye, Christine."

_

* * *

Friday night _

As he lay in bed, Amir thought about the argument with Megan last night. It was their first. It was becoming difficult trying to separate his professional life from his personal one.

After he'd left the apartment, he had driven around for awhile before he went over to Gaston's for a drink. He'd thought about paying Erik a visit, but then decided against it. After about a half hour he had decided to return home and wondered if Megan would still be there. She wasn't, and he was glad. That was last night and he'd thought about giving her a call or paying her a visit this evening, but then decided against that as well, for what was there to say?

And then he thought about Joanna. It was just yesterday afternoon when he'd kissed her in his office, and before he knew it, he was fondling her and kissing her deeply. He could feel himself warming as he remembered her reaction to his touch…and her soft moans. He did want things to work out with Megan, and truth be known, he could no longer imagine his life without her. Yet…he wanted Joanna as well.

When he was in Persia, it was never a problem to entertain whomever he wanted whenever he wanted. Beautiful, accomplished women were grateful for the attention he showed them, and whenever any displeased him, there were many more from which to choose. There were many advantages to being favored by the Shah, and he was never one to waste his opportunities. It was much the same after he'd moved to the United States with Erik. Women were drawn to him, and he always had his pick of whomever he wanted, yet never allowing any to get too close…until Megan. Unbeknownst to her, she had been different from all the others because of her very innocence to the ways of the world. She was beautiful and talented, yes, but a truly good woman, not one whom he had to fear would one day leave him for a more attractive opportunity, whether it be another man, riches, position, or power in its many forms. No, Megan was very special indeed…

He knew she would never tolerate any infidelity on his part, no matter what the reason. Unlike the women in Mazanderan, she wouldn't understand a man's need to gratify his lust with a number of women. It was an accepted and common enough practice there, and it was quite unheard of for any woman to expect her man to keep company with only her. Although he'd never been tempted by another woman since Megan, now he was enticed by Joanna, and he wanted her. Yes, he wanted her…

_

* * *

Saturday morning _

Amir walked into Erik's apartment a little after ten and opened the refrigerator in his studio to see what was available.

"Where've you been, old man?"

"I didn't know you were looking for me."

"I wasn't, but I just thought you'd be up here before now."

Amir grabbed a Pellegrino sparkling water and walked over to the window to gaze out on the patio. "I'm thinking it's time for a change."

He now had Erik's undivided attention. "Why?"

Amir took a sip of water.

"Is the grass greener elsewhere?"

He hesitated before answering. "Perhaps."

Erik looked at him carefully. "Megan loves you."

Amir snorted softly and waved his hand dismissively. "They all did."

"You're making a mistake."

Amir turned and faced him. "Then what would you do if you were in my place?"

Erik replaced the cover over his piano keys and sighed. "Probably just what you're doing, mon ami." He clearly understood Amir's position and knew that there was nothing he could have done to help him then or now.

Amir already knew that he needed to break off all non-work-related contact with Joanna if he wished to remain with Megan, but it was already too late. No matter what he wished or intended, the wheels were already in motion…

_

* * *

Saturday afternoon _

Christine had spent the morning doing laundry and generally cleaning her apartment, but on this morning, took particular pains to ensure that it looked immaculate. As she dusted the bookcases in the living room, she came upon the erotic figurines she'd taken from Erik's bedroom that fateful night, and decided to move them to her bedroom dresser.

She was done cleaning by noon and took a quick shower before dressing comfortably in a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater and boots, this time remembering to place Roan's ring in her jewelry box.

There was a light knock on her door at exactly 1:00, and when she opened it, Erik stood there looking as wonderful as ever. He was dressed casually, and he now held a rose in his hand with a black ribbon around the stem, which he now extended to her with a smile. "Are we ready, cherie?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," she smiled, accepting the rose and automatically bringing it close to inhale the sweet fragrance. "Thank you." Christine prepared a bud vase for her rose and placed it on the kitchen table before retrieving her jacket and purse.

As they walked down the stairs together and out the door, Christine vaguely thought how strange this felt, for she'd never expected to be doing this with Erik again, yet here they were… As they approached the car, Christine saw that Erik had brought the Range Rover, and since they were both dressed casually, concluded that wherever he was taking her was not fancy. As they pulled out, she noticed that Erik again had the radio set to their favorite jazz station, and it now played softly in the background.

Erik was feeling very relaxed, and noted that he always felt this way when he was with Christine, as though all was right with the world. He was taking her someplace very special this afternoon, and unless he was mistaken, felt that Christine would be quite moved before the day was over.

They drove leisurely through town and Christine noticed that they were heading west, towards the ocean, and wondered what could be out this way. As they crested a hill on their way, she saw the Pacific Ocean and suddenly felt melancholy when she was again reminded of their time on the island and the gorgeous view of the ocean and the horizon on that perfect day…

They spoke little as they drove, but Christine was unprepared when Erik finally pulled up to a driveway and parked. "Here we are," he smiled.

Christine looked around her and saw people walking towards a common entrance that was behind them. When they alighted from the SUV, Christine turned around and was stunned to see the imposing sign…The San Francisco Zoo.


	54. Lamplight

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 54

Lamplight

_Saturday afternoon_

Christine hadn't been to the zoo since she was a child and still couldn't believe that Erik had brought her here. She liked the zoo, of course, but she never would have imagined anyone as sophisticated or as worldly-wise as Erik Dupont would want to go there for an afternoon. As they queued up to purchase their tickets, Christine noticed the overcast sky and wondered if it would rain. It wasn't as crowded as it normally would have been on a clear day, but she didn't care. She was enjoying her time with Erik.

They strolled leisurely past the concession stands and souvenir booths and eventually began to see animals. They were grouped according to type – reptiles, birds, small animals, large felines, large animals, and monkeys. They made their way through buildings and exhibits before finally arriving at the large animal compounds. Christine had seen elephants and giraffes before, and she was impressed by the rhinoceros, but after wandering around for a half hour, she had started to wonder about the "rare and beautiful thing" Erik had spoken about. She was about to say something when he unexpectedly took her hand and began to lead her towards the far end of a surround.

"Have you ever seen a panda?" he asked as they walked.

Christine was immediately alert. She knew they were endangered and that it was a privilege to see one. "No! Are they here?"

Erik smiled and nodded. "Right over there."

Christine followed the direction of his nod, and about forty feet away, sitting amongst some trees and stalks of bamboo, were two giant pandas. One appeared to be sleeping, but the other was casually munching on bamboo shoots. Christine was amazed. They were black and white, just like in pictures she'd seen, but to see them alive, here, was amazing, and she found herself becoming unexpectedly emotional.

"There are only about 60 in zoos around the world, cherie, and there are less than 1,000 in the wilds of China. Scientists have done everything to ensure their survival, but because of their limited diet and poor reproductive and infant survival rate, their very existence is threatened. We're very fortunate to be able to see them while we still can."

Erik placed his hands on the wall that separated them from the enclosure, and Christine could see that he cared deeply for these creatures. She'd never given much thought to his interests outside the Phil, but this was a new side to Erik she was now seeing.

They remained there for several minutes, and Christine knew she would never forget this moment. She would be able to tell her children and grandchildren that she had actually seen giant pandas when they were still alive. The knowledge that she was seeing a species that could very well disappear within her lifetime made her incredibly sad, and she could feel her throat tighten.

Erik took her hand again and said softly, "You've seen the rare, now you'll see the beautiful," and he led her this time to the monkey exhibition hall. It was somewhat noisy as the various species of monkeys played amongst themselves, but Erik took her to the far end of the hall and explained, "There are certain animals that are found only in very remote parts of China, like the giant pandas. They're considered national treasures and killing one is punishable by death. Another species are the golden monkeys."

They stopped before a large glassed enclosure, and there, in the trees, were a family of five golden monkeys. Christine gasped when she saw them, for they were _beautiful. _Their fur seemed luminous, and their coloring ranged from golden to light orange, and the area around the eyes, nose, and mouth was offset by white. There were four adults and one baby in its mother's arms, which looked to have very light brown fur.

Erik spoke softly as he explained. "There are only about 15,000 golden monkeys in the world and they're on the endangered species list, but fortunately for us, they seem to be making a comeback. In China they're protected in a large reserve, and they're thriving, but as a species, they're still not out of danger. Can you imagine such beautiful creatures becoming lost for all time?"

Christine knew she couldn't, and she was powerfully moved by seeing them with her own eyes. She'd seen pictures, of course, but to see them alive, happily eating and playing within their family group, was enough to make her want to help. Christine was sure she would make a donation to the zoo before they left.

"Are you hungry, cherie?" Erik asked. "Why don't we grab a bite before we go?"

They walked back the way they'd come past the various pens and enclosures until they neared the entrance. The restaurant to the left of the entrance was modern and gaily decorated in a safari motif and there were already a number of people and families there enjoying a hot meal. Christine thought to herself that she and Erik had never eaten in an open setting such as this before, with families with children, and wondered about actually eating among them. As they were about to enter the restaurant, she noticed Erik take out his keys.

There was a door next to the regular restaurant entrance marked "Administration," and Erik now used his key to unlock this door as he ushered Christine inside. When the door had closed behind them, she saw that they were in a small room facing an elevator, which had now descended and was opening to them. As they stepped inside, Erik pressed the Up button and they ascended to the second floor. When the doors opened, Christine saw that they were in a small but very nicely appointed restaurant that wasn't at all crowded like it was downstairs, and when they walked up to the reservations desk, saw that the name of it was "The Safari Lounge."

"Mr. Dupont, how wonderful to see you again, it's been much too long," the genial host smiled warmly.

"Hello, James, good to see you, too," Erik smiled as he shook the man's hand. "Two for lunch, please."

They were shown to a very nice window seat, and the elegant table was covered with a white linen tablecloth. There was fine china that had a napkin and utinsils folded inside, crystal water goblets, and fresh flowers on each table. They placed their drink orders as they received their menus, and when Christine looked at the menu to see what was offered, she was surprised to see items she was certain were not offered downstairs. When their waiter returned with their beverages and to take their orders, Christine requested the soft shelled crab sandwich, and Erik ordered the same.

Christine looked around at their posh surroundings and at the wonderful view from the window and wondered if Erik would ever be averse to sitting among "regular folks" and just eating a hot dog. But as she glanced at him also looking out the window, she realized that it would probably be unbearably awkward to be stared at due to his mask or have children make thoughtless comments as they ate, and she was suddenly very glad he had access to exclusive venues where he could be comfortable. "How are we able to eat here when most of the visitors don't even know about this restaurant?" she asked.

Erik explained, "It's because it's for VIPs and people important to the zoo. Most large theme parks have them, but most people don't know about them."

"How are you affiliated with them?" Christine asked, curious.

"I helped them design a couple of the animal enclosures. So, tell me about what you plan for the audition," he asked simply.

Erik obviously didn't wish to speak of his involvement with the zoo and Christine again found herself wondering about his past, but she felt the need to freshen up before their meal, so she politely excused herself as she made her way to the restrooms down the hallway. When she opened the door to the ladies room, she was amazed by how luxuriously appointed it was. No expense had been spared for their VIPs apparently, and she felt very pampered.

As she left the restroom and made her way back down the hallway, she noticed some beautiful photographs of animals that were mounted on the walls and paused briefly to admire them, for some of the animals were quite rare and exotic. In the middle of all the photographs was a large brass plaque, common to large projects, and Christine was about to overlook it to move on to the next photograph when something suddenly caught her eye.

_FRIENDS OF THE SAN FRANCISCO ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS_

_Guardian Angel_

_ERIK DUPONT_

_Guardian Ambassador_

_DR. AND MRS. TYLER VAN DE KAMP_

_MR. AND MRS. NORMAN WHITTAKER_

_RALSTON-PURINA, INC._

_Guardian Conservationist_

_JAMES E. DONOVAN _

_DR. CHARLES D. BURNWALL_

_MRS. JOHN JANOVITCH _

_PROCTER & GAMBLE_

_KIMBERLY-CLARK, INC. _

_BANK OF AMERICA_

_VIRGINIA A. WILLIAMS _

_DR. MICHAEL CASEY_

_DR. AND MRS. RUSSELL NEUMEISTER _

There were even more names below these under the titles of Guardian Curator, Guardian Zoologist, and Guardian Naturalist, among others, but Christine only saw Erik's name at the very top. _These must be major contributors to the zoo_ she thought. _If Erik's name is at the top, then that means he's their most generous contributor! _She looked down the list at the other names and saw that even large corporations hadn't donated as much as he had. _We must be talking millions! _She pulled herself away and walked back to their table, numbed by this latest revelation. As she returned to sit opposite Erik, she could only stare at him in awe.

Erik noticed her strange expression and asked, concerned, "Christine, are you all right?"

She nodded and said, "Yes, I'm fine. What did you ask me before I left?" She took a drink of water.

"I wanted to know what you planned to perform for the audition." He was looking at her curiously.

Their food was brought to them at this time, along with a bottle of sparkling white wine, and everything was wonderfully presented. They conversed comfortably as they ate, and Christine shared with him the songs she was considering for her audition. Lunch was informative and fun, and after they finished eating, they left the restaurant and visited the souvenir store so Christine could purchase something to remember their afternoon there. In the end, she selected a tee shirt, a charm bracelet, earrings, and a small commemorative plate with pictures of the pandas and golden monkeys painted on it. Erik was amused by her choices and happily purchased them for her for he could see that she was enjoying herself. And before they left the grounds, Christine slipped some money into the donation slot in the side of the Administration building. By the time Erik returned Christine to her apartment, it was after four.

He walked her up the stairs to her apartment, and as Christine unlocked her door, she turned to him.

"Thank you so much for today," she smiled. "I had a wonderful time."

"I did, too," he said softly, and he took her hand and gently kissed it.

She gazed up at him, glad they could be friends again. Erik looked at her tenderly. "Goodnight, Christine."

"Goodnight, Erik."

_

* * *

4:00 p.m. _

The cast was coming off the stage after their matinee performance and disbursing backstage. They wouldn't be back until 7:30, in time for the evening performance. Amir was backstage now and was about to return to his office when he saw Joanna leaving the stage alone. She was about to walk past where he stood until he grabbed her arm from behind a curtain and pulled her to him. She gasped in surprise until she realized it was him.

He kissed her firmly and whispered, "Come to my office at seven."

_

* * *

6:00 p.m. _

SeraphM: Hi, Christine. Are you there?

AriaMaven: Hi Roan. How are you?

SeraphM: I'm fine. How've you been? You're a hard one to get ahold of.

AriaMaven: I've been okay. You've been trying to get ahold of me?

SeraphM: Yes, don't you check your phone messages?

AriaMaven: I usually do, but I've been pretty busy. I'm sorry.

SeraphM: That's okay. How about getting together tonight?

AriaMaven: No, not tonight. I'm pretty tired. How about tomorrow night?

SeraphM: Tomorrow night's fine. I'll make dinner for us. How come you're tired? What did you do today?

AriaMaven: Just a lot of running around. And you know finals are coming up, so I've been doing a lot of studying, too.

SeraphM: Are you going to audition for the Phil in May?

AriaMaven: Of course, along with everybody else.

SeraphM: Don't worry, you'll get in. Your singing is incredible.

AriaMaven: Thanks. I hope they think so, too.

SeraphM: They will. Can you come over tomorrow night around seven?

AriaMaven: Okay, see you then. Goodnight.

SeraphM: Goodnight.

* * *

Erik was mixing a drink at the wet bar while listening to some mellow sounds from the stereo. This had been a good day, and he was pleased with how his visit with Christine had turned out. She'd been duly impressed by the pandas and golden monkeys as he assumed she would be, and knew she'd remember it for a very long time. He was concerned when she returned from the restroom and looked at him so strangely, and he wondered if it had to do with him not wanting to elaborate on his affiliation with the zoo. There was no need for her to know that his donation had been responsible for not only building the panda and golden monkey enclosures, but also for bringing the animals to the zoo years ago, which had been a worthwhile, albeit ridiculously costly, endeavor. It was enough that she knew only of his genuine concern for these creatures. 

Although his dates with Christine took place innocently during the daytime and consisted of no more than talking and taking meals together, there was much more going on than she knew, and that was exactly the way he wanted it. She was being affected by him in more ways than one, and he could see this on each and every one of their dates. Christine could no more hide her feelings than he could stop loving her, and he was certain that Roan's hold on her now was tenuous at best.

Anubis hopped up on his lap as he sat in his chair facing the window that overlooked the city. He scratched her behind her ears and she began to purr loudly and he smiled. Roan's days and nights with Christine were numbered…

_

* * *

Saturday evening _

Megan was pacing. Since Amir had walked out Thursday night, it seemed she'd been able to think of little else. Her mind would wander during class or as she did homework, and she would catch herself thinking of him. She'd hoped to hear from him by this time, but she hadn't. She'd thought of calling him several times, but was loathe to appear weak when she knew she was right. Still, she knew they had to talk before this went any further. She would go to his apartment and talk to him.

As she drove through early evening traffic to reach his apartment building, she rehearsed what she would say to appeal to his reason. She would try to have him put the shoe on the other foot, and then perhaps he would see it from her perspective. Or if that didn't work, perhaps she could have him imagine her in _his_ position. In any event, she knew she had to make an attempt to reconcile if he wasn't going to. _Our relationship is worth saving, and if you really love someone, pride shouldn't stand in the way._

When she arrived at his apartment building, she rode the elevator to the top and knocked on his door. There being no answer, she decided to let herself in and nervously unlocked the door with her key and walked in. Everything was dark and quiet, and as she went through the kitchen and bedroom, saw that he truly was not home. She left quickly, locking the door behind her, and drove towards the Phil. Unless he was out on the town, home and the Phil were the only two places she could imagine he'd be.

It took about ten minutes before she arrived at the Phil, and she parked as close as possible to the stage door so she could make her way quickly inside. It was a little after seven and the next performance wouldn't be until eight, so there were few people about backstage, and no Amir.

She decided to see if he was in his office and rode the elevator up to the fifth floor. She walked down the hall to his office at the end and gently tried the door. It was locked. Disappointed, she was about to turn and leave when she heard a noise from inside. She stopped and leaned her head close to the door. Yes, there was sound coming from inside which she couldn't make out. She looked at her key ring which held Amir's apartment key, and the second key that came with it. She'd never had occasion to use it before, but now she would.

She quietly inserted the key in the door and turned it. The door opened silently and she opened it slightly to look into the office. The lights were out and the room was dark except for the light coming from the small lamp above the painting between Amir's bookshelves. As she scanned the dark office, she could see in the dimness that the floor was littered with papers, files, and other objects from his desk, and wondered why they'd be on the floor. She heard a sound then, and she looked further into the room towards Amir's spacious desk, and froze.

There, in the light from the painting, she could see Joanna on her back, still in costume. Her bodice was untied, her skirts bunched up around her, her legs were up, and she was moaning softly and breathing in rapid gasps. Amir was on top of her, thrusting into her as Joanna cried out and shuddered, struggling against his arms. Amir grunted with the effort, pumping into her forcefully.

Megan felt as though she were out of her body as she watched the scene unfold. She was numb, and felt nothing. She closed the door quietly and walked stiffly back towards the elevator. She felt strange, as though her limbs weren't cooperating. When the elevator doors opened, she stepped in and pressed the down button, noticing that her movements were jerky, as though she couldn't control her body. She tried to think of this logically and knew that it was because she'd received a shock to her system, and now her body was reacting to it. Emotionally, she felt nothing, but knew that she eventually would and that it would be crushing, so she should use this time to think this through while she still could, and plan what she should do now.

She returned to her car and drove slowly to Amir's apartment. She would wait for him there and they would talk. She let herself in and turned on some lights. She lit the fire in the fireplace and went to the kitchen to make some tea. Everything felt strange, so she knew her emotions were still suppressed. The apartment was quiet, and though she was very familiar with it, it no longer felt like the second home it had just a few days before. She looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was just a quarter to eight. If he stayed for the evening performance, he wouldn't be home until 10:30 or so…unless he didn't come home at all. This could be a long night, but she was determined to wait for as long as she needed to talk to him.

She stared into the fire and waited…

* * *

When she heard his key in the door, she glanced at the clock and saw that it was just a quarter after eight. _He must have left right after the evening performance began. _She heard the door close and heard him approach as she continued to stare into the fire. 

"Megan, this is a surprise. What brings you here at this hour?" He stood next to the mantel, looking as handsome as ever.

She glanced up at him. "I came over so we could talk. I wasn't sure when you'd be home, so I just thought I'd wait for you."

"I'm glad you did. I'm glad to see you, cherie," he said gently.

"You are?" she asked, surprised. "Why is that?"

"So we can talk. I'm sorry I haven't called, but I just didn't know what to say."

"And now?"

Amir sighed. "I just want us to work this out, but I'm not sure how."

"Is our relationship important to you?" she asked.

"You know it is. You shouldn't have to ask."

She looked back into the fire. "Then what are you willing to do to save it?"

Amir was silent for awhile before he responded. "I'll tell Joanna not to IM me any more."

Megan closed her eyes then and sighed deeply. "Is that all?" she asked softly.

Amir seemed confused. "What else did you want me to do?"

She gazed up at him then. "I want you to tell me the truth."

"What are you talking about?"

Megan snorted softly and closed her eyes as she gently shook her head. She looked back up at him. "I saw you," she said softly.

Amir stared back at her. "What do you mean?"

"I saw you fucking her, Joanna, on your desk."

Amir froze, and he closed his eyes as he turned from her, placing his hands on the mantel. "It was nothing," he murmured.

"_IT WASN'T NOTHING!" _she screamed.

Amir stiffened, surprised by her outburst, but he didn't turn around. Megan surprised herself as well, for she hadn't intended to make a scene, but her emotions had returned, in waves. She stood before the fireplace, facing him.

"It wasn't nothing," she whispered as her tears flowed freely. "What are you going to do now?"

He couldn't look at her. "What do you want me to say?" he whispered.

She could only stare. "Nothing," she said softly.

She left him in the living room as she showed herself out.

Amir was numb. _She's gone. I knew this would happen. _

He went over to the wet bar and poured himself some whiskey. He threw his head back and downed it quickly, but then slowly began to smile. _I thought Megan might have loved me, but she was pretty quick to leave. She probably knew she could sell the jewelry I gave her and make a nice little profit, at least $10,000. God knows she could use it. That's not too shabby for just a few months. Maybe I'll bring Joanna up here tomorrow night…_

He hadn't planned to go out again, so he went to check the door to make sure it was locked. He fastened the lock and was about to walk to the kitchen to make something to eat when something caught his eye on the side table by the door.

On a small key ring was his house key and office key, and next to them lay all the jewelry he'd ever given her…


	55. Revelations

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 55

Revelations

_Sunday morning_

Christine had slept in and woke up at nine, feeling wonderful. She took a quick shower and made herself a breakfast of bacon, eggs, and hash browns when she heard a knock at the door. She wondered who could be calling on a Sunday morning and looked out the peephole. It was Megan.

Christine opened the door, but was shocked when she saw the state her friend was in. She looked like hell.

"Megan! Come in, what happened?"

Megan appeared tired and her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. "I broke up with Amir last night," she said softly.

"Oh my god. Here, come in and sit down. I just made breakfast." Christine had her sit at the kitchen table and poured her a glass of orange juice. Megan sipped it and then put it down, placing her hands over her face and rubbing her eyes. She wasn't wearing any make up, nor had she brushed her hair. Christine prepared a plate for her and one for herself and then sat down across from her. "Tell me what happened."

Megan picked at her food. "We had an argument Thursday night and Amir walked out. I hadn't heard from him by Saturday, so I went over to his apartment and then to his office to look for him so we could talk. I used his key to get into his office, and…" She closed her eyes and placed her hands on her face as though it were physically painful to remember. "…and I saw him on his desk with Joanna. He was fucking her."

"Oh…my…god." Christine closed her eyes. "What did you do?"

"I closed the door and left. I went to his apartment and waited for him. When he came home, we talked."

"How did that go?"

"He didn't admit to it, so I told him I saw him, and he said it was nothing. I told him it wasn't nothing and he asked me what I wanted him to say, and I said 'nothing.' Before I left, I gave him back his keys and all the jewelry."

"I'm so sorry," Christine said softly. "What will you do now?"

Megan gestured helplessly. "I don't know. I just feel so lost now. I thought we'd always be together…" She picked at her eggs and hash browns and took a small bite, but nothing seemed appetizing now.

Christine thought of Joanna and wished for a moment she could kill her…that way all their problems would be solved and she couldn't steal away any more boyfriends.

"Megan, I want you to spend the night with me. You shouldn't have to be alone now."

Megan sipped her juice. "My overnight bag is in the car."

"Why don't you bring it in after we finish breakfast," Christine suggested, "and I'll call Roan and cancel for tonight."

"Christine, you don't have to do that. I'll be all right alone here." Megan felt guilty getting in the way of her friend's plans with her boyfriend.

Christine wouldn't hear of it. "Don't be silly, what are friends for? We'll go out to dinner and then we'll go to school together tomorrow, okay? It's settled."

"Thank you," she whispered, and she smiled then for the first time.

Megan ate about half her breakfast, and when she went out to her car to retrieve her overnight bag, Christine called Roan. After a couple rings, he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Roan? It's me."

"Hi, me," he said cheerfully. "How're you doing, sweetheart? Are we still on for tonight?"

"I'm afraid not. Megan just broke up with her boyfriend and I have to be here for her. Maybe later on this week?" Christine heard him groan.

"Christine, couldn't you get away for just an hour or two? I haven't seen you all week!"

Christine couldn't believe it. "Roan, are you telling me that the only reason you want to get together with me is to have sex?"

There was a brief pause. "No! Of course not! But it _has_ been a week since I've seen you, and I've really missed you."

"Roan?"

"Yes?"

"Do you really love me?"

"Of course I do, I've already told you that."

"Then you understand why I have to do this, right?"

"Yes, I understand." Christine thought he sounded depressed.

"Okay, so I'll talk to you later this week, all right?"

"Okay, Christine. Bye."

"Bye."

Roan hung up the phone. "Shit, shit, shit!" He'd really been counting on seeing Christine tonight and having her spend the night with him, but since that wasn't going to happen now, he weighed his options. In the past, he wouldn't have hesitated to call one of his former girlfriends since they still enjoyed sleeping with him, and there were even a couple of call girls he'd enjoyed from time to time. But now…now it was different. He didn't want anyone else. He wanted Christine.

He was still in his robe when Christine called and he had no plans to go anywhere today, so he decided to take a shower. _Since I won't see Christine tonight, I'll just have to take care of this myself…_

* * *

Erik was watering the plants on his balcony when his cell phone went off. He retrieved it from his pocket and answered it. 

"Hello?"

"It's Amir. What are your plans today?"

"I didn't have any plans for today. I'd just planned to stay home."

"I'm coming over."

"Okay."

Amir hung up. He was at Erik's door in ten minutes and let himself in. Erik was still out on his patio, so he joined him there.

Erik looked up as Amir stepped through the sliding screen door. "What's up, old man?"

"Megan's gone."

"What happened?"

"I was with Joanna in my office. Megan must have unlocked the door and seen us. She's gone."

"You must have known this was going to happen, yes?"

Amir sighed. "Yeah. I couldn't stop it from happening. Joanna…she just has this way…"

"I know, my friend, I was there once, remember? So what will you do now?"

Amir sat down on a wooden bench and shook his head. He seemed lost. "So what is she like, really? Why did you break up with her?"

"Joanna? Truthfully, she's wonderful."

"Then why did you leave her?"

"Because of Christine…it was always Christine. But if I didn't have Christine, I probably would have stayed with her."

"Why do you say that?"

Erik came and sat on the bench with him and looked over at his roses. "Any man that gets Joanna will be very lucky. She's beautiful, intelligent, loving, and a truly sweet person. She can even cook," he smiled. "When we were together, she truly seemed to care about how I felt about things, and she was able to take an interest in the things that interested me. She was almost perfect."

"Almost?"

Erik nodded. "Yes, almost. If I wasn't already in love with Christine, I believe I could have stayed with her." He looked over at Amir then. "Unless you're in love with Megan, be happy with Joanna. She's a good woman, but the timing was just off for us."

Amir looked at the beautiful flowers and plants on Erik's balcony and loved this wonderful oasis of calm. He valued Erik's opinion and they'd helped each other through many situations over the years. Could he possibly grow to love Joanna? How did he really feel about Megan?

"Have you eaten yet? I was about to make breakfast. I'm making hash browns."

Amir stayed with Erik that morning and had breakfast with him. The hash browns were delicious. They spoke more about Joanna and Megan and Christine, and by noon he knew what he wanted to do.

He owed it to himself to give Joanna a chance.

_

* * *

Sunday evening _

"Christine, are you sure about this? I really don't mind staying here and watching some DVDs, and you can still go out with Roan."

"No! I told you, we're going out tonight and we'll have a good time. Are you almost ready?" Christine already had her purse and jacket and was ready to leave. Megan was ready in another minute and they walked down the stairs and made their way down the street to Burrito Express.

It was around 7:30 and the restaurant was comfortably filled. A waitress led them to a cozy booth in a corner and they both ordered iced tea before removing their jackets. Pleasant Mexican guitar music played softly over the speakers. Christine felt this was the perfect evening to bring Megan here.

The waitress returned shortly with their iced tea, chips and salsa and took their orders. Christine ordered chile rellenos and Megan ordered nopalitos, or cactus. "No chile verde tonight?" Christine asked.

"No, not tonight. It's about time I tried something new." Megan opened some sugar packets in her iced tea.

"You know," Christine started, "chances are Amir won't stay with her for long."

Megan glanced up at her. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, Erik didn't. I mean, if she was all that, why didn't he stay with her?"

"I think he didn't stay with her because he loved you. Amir on the other hand never told me he loved me."

"But don't you think he did, even if he never said it? Actions speak louder than words, and before Joanna, he did show it, didn't he?"

Megan looked sad. "Yes, he did. But if he could do this with Joanna, maybe he really didn't," she said softly.

Over at the bar, two young men were finishing their beers when one of them glanced around briefly_. "Oye, mira esto bonito, no?"_ (Hey, check this out. Beautiful, no?) He indicated Christine and Megan to his friend.

His friend turned around and smiled. _"Si, bien bonito. Vamos a comprarles un trago. Yo me quedo con la rubia." _(Yes, very beautiful. Let's buy them a drink. I get the blonde.)

The two gentlemen ordered strawberry margaritas for them and a waiter brought it over to their table. "From the gentlemen at the bar," he smiled.

Christine and Megan looked over at the bar on the other side of the room and saw two incredibly handsome Hispanic men in suits hold their glasses up to them in salute. Christine and Megan smiled politely and waved thank you. "What do you think?" Christine asked.

"That was nice," Megan smiled. "It seems like it's been awhile since anyone besides Amir's bought me a drink."

Back at the bar, the two men conferred as to their next move_. "Ahora qué, Romeo? El proximo movimiento es el tuyo."_ (What now, Romeo? The next move is yours.)

His friend looked at him irritably. _"No me apures."_ (Don't rush me.)

Christine and Megan were sipping their strawberry margaritas and enjoying the music when they heard someone say, "May I have this dance?"

They both looked up at the same time and saw that one of the gentlemen had come over to Megan and extended his hand to her.

"Alex?" Megan couldn't believe it.

He smiled beautifully. "Yes?"

She looked him over as though seeing him for the first time, and indeed, she'd never seen him look _this_ good He wore a dark business suit and his hair was fashionably styled, and he looked absolutely _gorgeous._ "B…but, there's no dance floor," she stammered.

"Come on," he urged gently. "We'll make one."

Megan put her hand in his, and he led her to an empty space by the bar and they began to dance. Christine smiled as she watched them because this was just what Megan needed.

"Would you care to dance?" asked another voice.

Christine looked up and saw that it was Alex's friend who had been sitting with him at the bar. He smiled down at her kindly and extended his hand. Christine involuntarily smiled. _Wow!_

"Thank you, but I need to stay here and watch the purses," she heard herself say. It was an automatic response developed over years of going to clubs, but it was true that she needed to make sure their purses weren't snatched or that their drinks weren't tampered with.

"Then may I join you until your friend gets back?" he asked gently.

"Yes," she smiled.

"Thank you. My name is Adrian Chavez," he said as he extended his hand.

Christine took his hand and shook it gently but firmly. "Christine Karlsson." She noticed how handsome he was and wondered if he was an attorney like Alex. She looked over and saw that Megan and Alex danced very well together and was glad they'd come here tonight.

Megan was enjoying herself and thought that Alex was a very good dancer, but being in his arms now reminded her of the many times Amir had taken her dancing and how she'd always love the feel of being in his arms. Amir was a wonderful dancer and she would never dance with him again or feel his arms around her. This thought saddened her greatly, and her tears started to fall again.

Alex enjoyed dancing with Megan because she was very light on her feet and easy to lead, but when he looked down, saw that she was crying and became immediately concerned. "Megan," he said gently, "I usually receive positive comments about my dancing, but I don't think it's ever made anyone cry before."

Megan chuckled through her tears and could imagine how she must look. "I'm sorry, but it's not you…I just broke up with my boyfriend."

Alex looked genuinely concerned. "The one I just met? I'm sorry." And after a pause he asked, "Do you want me to kick his ass for you?"

Megan smiled. "No, but thanks for the offer."

"No, really. I've seen him and I think I can take him."

Megan grinned and playfully nudged him.

Alex smiled for he had succeeded in cheering her up. Megan was feeling better and actually felt comforted in Alex's arms. Seeing him like this, dressed in a suit and with his hair actually styled, she had to admit that she found him _very_ attractive, and she could actually feel his muscles under his clothes. _What a pity he's gay _she thought sadly. _I wonder if his friend is his boyfriend?_

"Do you and your friend work together?" she asked conversationally.

"Yes, we do. We actually grew up together and went to the same law school. Our families are very close."

"That's nice," she said. That really didn't tell her what she wanted to know, but she didn't know how else to ask such a delicate question.

"You know, there's been something I've been wanting to ask you," he said hesitantly.

Megan looked up curiously. "What's that?"

He looked at her gently. "I know you just broke up with your boyfriend, but…when you're ready, I'd like to take you out some evening."

Megan was shocked and it must have shown on her face, for he was quick to add, "But if you'd like to wait awhile, I'd understand."

Megan had no problem with Alex being gay, but why would he ask her out? She had to know. "Why do you want to take me out?"

Now it was Alex's turn to be surprised. "Why do I want to take you out? For the same reason most people want to date…so I can get to know you."

Megan was confused, but if there was ever a time to be blunt, this was it.

"But…aren't you gay?"

She was embarrassed to even ask such a thing and she could feel her cheeks redden, but there had been no choice. She hoped he wouldn't be offended by her question, but his smile told her he wasn't.

"No, I'm not gay," he said softly.

"You're not?"

"No, I'm not. I admit I've occasionally been bi, but I prefer women."

"But what about your friend?" She figured they might as well get all the cards out on the table since everything was coming out now.

"He's straight, and he's like a brother to me," he smiled gently.

"Oh. That's nice…" Megan was at a loss for words, but she was suddenly very happy and couldn't stop smiling.

Seeing her expression, Alex ventured, "So does this mean we can go out sometime?"

Megan grinned. "Yes." Alex grinned as well. _What a beautiful smile he has _she thought. …_great teeth._

Back at their table, Christine and Adrian conversed quietly. "I'd like to get to know you better, Christine. Would you like to go out sometime?"

Christine almost wished she could have accepted, but instead said, "I'm sorry, but I already have a boyfriend, but thank you for asking."

"I'm not surprised," he smiled.

The dance concluded and Alex returned Megan to her table as the waitress arrived with their dinners. Adrian rose from his place in the booth and thanked Christine politely for their conversation. Alex thanked Megan for the dance and kissed her hand before departing and heading back to the bar with his friend.

"Have fun?" Christine asked. She was glad to see that Megan was in better spirits than when they'd first arrived.

"I sure did. He's a very good dancer, and funny, too," she smiled. "Thanks for bringing me tonight. How was his friend?"

Christine sipped her margarita. "He was nice, another lawyer, but I told him I already had a boyfriend."

"Alex said he wanted to take me out sometime."

Christine looked up. "Really? What did you say?"

"I said okay. I think he'd be a lot of fun. Besides, I don't have anything else going on right now."

"But isn't he gay?"

Megan had to grin. "Actually, he's not…he's bi sometimes, but he prefers women."

"You're kidding!" Christine was stunned by this revelation and tried to change her perception of Alex as being bi rather than gay and wondered how Megan felt about it. "Are you okay with that?"

"Sure, we're just friends. But I'll let you know if it ever turns into more than that," she grinned.

At the bar, Alex and Adrian compared notes. Taking a sip of his beer, Alex inquired, "So, how'd you like Christine?"

Adrian looked over his glass. "I liked her just fine, but she's already got a boyfriend."

"She's got a boyfriend _right now_," Alex corrected. "Things can change."

"Right. Keep me posted if you hear she breaks up with him," he said wryly. He took another sip. "So how'd it go with Megan?"

"It went fine," he nodded. "She thought I was gay."

Adrian turned to him. "Oh? So what did you tell her?"

"I told her the truth. I told her that I've been bi but that I'm partial to women."

"Do you think she'll be okay with that? It's not something everyone can be comfortable with when it's in their face."

Alex took another sip. "Well, we'll just have to wait and see then, won't we? I like Megan, and I'd like to see where this goes…"


	56. It Takes Two

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 56

It Takes Two

_Monday_

When Amir first awoke, it was with a feeling that there was a dark cloud over everything. At first he thought it was just due to inclement weather, but when he glanced out the window, it was relatively bright, though overcast. When he finally remembered the night before, the gloom he'd felt upon awakening became significantly darker.

He groaned as he sat up. His heart was heavy and he wished he could just stay in bed, but he knew there was too much to do and that people would come looking for him if he didn't show up. He pulled himself up and walked to the bathroom in the nude and noticed the chill in the apartment. He turned on the thermostat before starting the shower, and then stepped into the stall, shaking off the cold under the steaming water.

He stood there, allowing the water to warm him as he thought of Megan. He had tried to imagine her as being no better than any one of his other former girlfriends, along for an exciting ride and gifts, and when the ride was over, cashing in. Yet that wasn't what happened. She could easily have been $10,000 richer, but she returned all of her gifts to him. Of all the women he'd had, no one had needed that money more than she, yet it wasn't the money she'd wanted. He was fine when he thought she'd been paid off, but now…now…

He turned his thoughts to Joanna and to how it had felt when he'd finally fucked her. She looked so beautiful in her costume, and she was willing. She came to him at exactly 7:00 and smiled when he locked the door. She knew what was coming and welcomed it. She approached him, and he'd begun kissing her immediately, placing his hands on her and feeling her all over, untying her bodice and tasting her for the first time. She'd thrown her head back and moaned as he hungrily suckled her, as if he hadn't had a woman in ages, although he'd been with Megan just a few days before. His hands went under her skirts, and he remembered thinking how silky she felt. He reached between her legs, expecting to pull off her panties…but she wasn't wearing any. She'd come to his office expecting to be seduced, and realizing this excited him even more. He inserted his fingers just inside her threshold and found her incredibly wet. Kneeling before her, he began to tease and lick and inserted his fingers deep within, Joanna's moans urging him on.

He'd made her come almost immediately in this fashion and she cried out rapturously as she shuddered against him. He felt almost crazed by her sensuality and immediately pushed everything off his desk, picking her up and laying her across it as he climbed up and freed himself from his trousers. He couldn't wait to embed himself into her, and when he did, it was the most incredible sensation…as though he were flying. Joanna had had another powerful orgasm, exciting him and causing him to have his own intense orgasm. When they'd finished, he'd kissed her tenderly and laid down next to her, lightly dozing together until it was time for her to go and get ready for the night's performance.

When she left his office, he gathered his jacket and went home after the performance had begun, and Megan had been waiting for him. She'd seen them somehow, but they'd been so involved in each other that they didn't notice.

Megan was gone now, out of his life. Did he regret what he'd done? In all honesty, he didn't. It had been unbelievable making love to Joanna…she'd been wonderful, incredible. But had it been worth losing Megan over? Only time would tell. He knew though that the void he felt now was the part that Megan had filled. _Shit, it would've been so much easier if she'd just kept the damned jewelry. _He tried again to put it out of his mind.

He stepped out of the shower and dried himself slowly, then went through his morning ritual of brushing his teeth, combing his hair, and lotioning his body before getting dressed, and then made himself a quick breakfast of toasted poppy seed bagel with lox and cream cheese before going downstairs to his car. He took his time driving through morning traffic and ate his bagel on the way before he reached the Phil.

It was when he entered the building that he realized he was still numb. He normally felt alive and driven whenever he was there, but today, he felt as though he were insulated. He most likely wouldn't see Joanna again until the evening and decided to bury himself in his work.

_

* * *

Evening _

Roan had called Christine during her lunch hour to confirm their date for tonight, which was a good thing since she'd completely forgotten. Christine had been thinking about Erik and their outing at the zoo ever since they'd gone Saturday, and it had impressed her greatly…not just seeing the pandas or the golden monkeys, but learning of Erik's contributions to save them. She was awed by the absolute nobility of it all.

When Roan picked her up at eight, he was pleased to see her wearing the black velvet off-the-shoulder gown and that she'd tied her hair back with a black ribbon. This dress was one of his favorites on her and was quite elegant, complementing him in his dark suit. It had been a little over a week since they'd seen each other and he kissed and hugged her tightly for he had missed her terribly.

As they drove off, he held Christine's hand. They drove for several minutes across town until they were in the westernmost part of the city, and Roan soon pulled up to a hotel that Christine had never seen before. It was large and rustic and very charming, the sign in front indicating that they'd arrived at the Alluvium Inn, which happened to be right on the beach. Uniformed valets quickly opened their doors and drove the car to their parking garage. As they walked to the restaurant through the lobby of the hotel, Christine looked around and loved the old-world charm of the place with their dark woods and gold accents, and beautiful arrangements of flowers.

When they approached the restaurant, she saw that it was called Meridian, and it did indeed live up to its name as the dark ceiling and walls were adorned with all manner of nautical effects and treasures from exotic ports of call. Their hostess led them to an elegant table by the window, and when they ordered their beverages, Christine ordered a Red Maiden, while Roan ordered a Captain's Grog. Part of the fun of going to a themed restaurant was ordering a specialty drink for they often came in unusually decorative glasses. They weren't disappointed in this regard as Christine's blood-red drink presented in a tall glass with inlaid jewels and pieces of fruit on a skewer with a miniature umbrella. Roan's drink was served in a large and distinctly masculine glass garnished with decoratively sliced pieces of fruit and cherries on a long, gold skewer.

They smiled as they took in their drinks and were just as pleased with how they tasted, for a restaurant's success often rested upon the skill of their bartender, who, in this case was a darkly handsome and rather dashing-looking older gentleman who reminded one strongly of Treasure Island.

Christine was enjoying the ambiance of Meridian and Roan's company, and as they looked over their menus, Roan glanced up and said softly, "I've really missed you, Christine. You look beautiful tonight."

Christine smiled sweetly. "Thank you, I think it's been over a week since we've seen each other."

Roan reached across the table to take her hand and was pleased to see her wearing his ring. "Yes, but it seems a lot longer. So what did you do with yourself this week?"

But before she could answer, they were suddenly joined by an attractive older couple who approached their table, and as Roan caught sight of them, rose from his seat.

"Roan! It's so good to see you!" the woman gushed. She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. "You're looking wonderful!."

The man who was with her also hugged him tightly and slapped his back affectionately. "Are you doing okay, son? You're looking good," he grinned.

Roan seemed very glad to see them and Christine could tell he was very close to his parents, which warmed her heart to see. He turned to her now with a smile and introduced her. "I'd like you to meet Christine Karlsson, my girlfriend." He held her hand in support, and Christine rose from her chair out of respect and smiled warmly at them, even though she felt some anxiety at this unexpected encounter. "Christine, these are my parents, Morgan and Penelope Richards."

His mother smiled and hugged her affectionately. "Christine, I'm so glad to meet you at last! Roan has told us so much about you. I hope you'll come and have dinner with us sometime."

Christine smiled. "Thank you, that's very kind."

She turned to his father who also smiled at her warmly and shook her hand. "I'm very glad to meet you, Christine. I hope we'll have the chance to get to know you better."

"Thank you," she said softly.

"It's just beautiful here, isn't it?" Penelope laid a gentle hand on Christine's arm. "We've come here for years, and you feel like you're a million miles away."

"I'm surprised I've never heard of it before," Christine murmured, hoping she didn't come across as totally clueless. As large and as beautiful as the inn was, she wondered why it wasn't busier.

"That's not surprising," Morgan smiled. "They've never advertised, so the only way you _would_ know about it would be through word-of-mouth or by reading an article somewhere. And that's why we love it – we never have to worry about it being too crowded or if we'll be able to get our favorite room."

"And it's even _haunted!" _Penelope whispered excitedly.

Morgan began to pull on his wife's arm. "We'd better get going now before Penelope gets started with her ghost stories. It was a pleasure meeting you at last, Christine. Take care, son."

"Bye, it was wonderful meeting you, dear! Call us, sweetheart," she called to Roan before they walked away. Christine smiled as she heard Penelope pouting to her husband, "I was _not_ going to start with the ghost stories! I just wanted to find out if she believed in them. Maybe she'd like to go on a hunt sometime…!"

Christine chuckled and looked over at Roan who had placed a hand over his eyes. They took their seats again and resumed looking at their menus. "Your parents are so cute," Christine grinned. "They must be a lot of fun."

Roan smiled wryly. "They can be, especially my mom, but when you've grown up always hearing about the paranormal, it gets old real fast."

"I think all things are possible to an open mind," Christine quipped as she scanned her menu, and then realized that Erik had said that to her once a long time ago...

Roan looked at her curiously as a waiter approached just then to take their order, and Christine ordered a petite medallion of filet mignon, and Roan ordered the New Zealand rack of lamb. After the waiter collected their menus and left, Christine asked, "Did you plan for your parents to meet us here?"

Roan looked away, obviously guilty. "Well, yes and no. I knew they'd be staying here for a few days, so I just mentioned that we were going to be having dinner here, and they decided to meet you. It wasn't too uncomfortable for you, was it? I could tell they really liked you."

Christine sighed. "No, it wasn't uncomfortable, and I enjoyed meeting them, but I just thought it was too soon. I mean, I didn't want them getting the wrong impression, that's all."

"I don't think they did," he said sincerely. "I love you, and I think they already knew that. We've been together for two months, and I've never been with anyone that long before. Just ask Rick."

At the mention of his name, she wondered how he'd been and asked, "How is Rick nowadays?"

"He's fine. He's still got a crush on one of the singers, but she's already got a boyfriend. He'll be graduating from the internship soon, and then he'll either go to work for his father or join the Phil."

"And what'll you do when you graduate from the program?" she asked as she sipped her water.

Roan already knew in what direction his life was going. "I'll join my father's company and train under him. It's a family business, so we're all being trained to run it someday when my dad steps down."

Christine thought it must be nice to have your life planned out so certainly. She knew she wanted to sing opera, but there was no crystal ball to tell her where she'd be in the next year, or in the next five years. Although she'd trained all her life for this, there were no guarantees that she'd be able to make a living at it. Perhaps she'd have to work part-time at a "real job" for awhile in order to make ends meet. She couldn't imagine not making it at all and having to work a regular job like so many horror stories she'd heard over the years. So many talented hopefuls with aspirations to become a performer for the rest of their lives, only to find out that they didn't have what it took, or they didn't have the right connections. If they were lucky, they were still able to work in the entertainment industry in some capacity, but not as a performer as they'd hoped. It truly was a combination of talent and luck, for you couldn't make it without either. Failing was a scary proposition for any aspiring performer, but Christine tried not to think of it because it was too likely a possibility for any one of them. Instead, she would continue putting her all into her practices and lessons, and _maybe_ she'd have a chance.

When they received their dinners, Christine thoroughly enjoyed it, owing not only to the excellence of their chef, but also to their wonderful surroundings, and she began to wonder what life with Roan could be like. He'd been so wonderful to her even before Erik had broken up with her. He'd always been there for her and she'd enjoyed his company, and now that she'd met his parents, realized what a wonderful upbringing he must have had. But being a realist, knew that only time could really tell what kind of man Roan really was. Anyone could be kind and generous when they wanted something and things were going their way…

_

* * *

11:00 p.m. _

Christine was glad to finally be home. Roan had just left, and though she'd truly enjoyed dinner with him tonight, she didn't want to spend the night with him. He'd been sorely disappointed since it was obvious he'd missed her over the week, but, it just didn't feel right this time. Christine thought about this as she undressed and took a quick shower before going to bed.

After dinner, Roan had taken her for a walk along the beach just down from the restaurant and it had been very pleasant and peaceful. Since it was a Monday night, there was no one else about, so they were able to quietly enjoy the solitude while staring at the brightly lit oil derricks farther out at sea. Roan held her in his arms to keep her warm, and she was feeling very relaxed. They spoke quietly and he kissed her, happy to hold her once again. He'd placed his hand on her shoulder and slipped it under the low neckline of her gown until he was fondling her, his kiss becoming deeper, and she could tell that he was very much aroused. His other hand had cupped itself around her butt, and she knew he was ready to take her now. She'd wanted to, and in normal circumstances she would have thoroughly enjoyed making love on the beach for it was romantic and exciting and the stuff of dreams…but, she couldn't. Something was different, and she stopped him.

Roan looked at her and asked what was wrong, and she'd told him that it was 'that time of the month.' _I'm going to Hell in a handbasket _she'd thought. So he'd brought her home and they'd cut their evening short.

She stepped out of the shower now and dried off, deciding to powder herself. She reached for a container of baby powder and sprinkled it over herself, running her hands over it to smooth it out. She loved its fragrance, and it brought back comforting memories of a time long ago.

She put on an oversized tee shirt and brought her laptop into bed with her. She checked her email and then the online news, and then the odd news, which she enjoyed. Suddenly, an instant message window popped up and a tone sounded.

EDupont: Good evening, Christine. Burning the midnight oil again?

AriaMaven: Good evening, Erik. I just got home. How are you?

EDupont: I'm well. Did you have a good evening?

AriaMaven: Yes, I did. Megan and Amir have broken up.

EDupont: Yes, I know. It's unfortunate.

AriaMaven: Amir slept with Joanna.

EDupont: I know.

AriaMaven: She doesn't seem to mind going after someone whether or not they're already in a committed relationship.

EDupont: Perhaps, but it didn't happen in a vacuum.

AriaMaven: What do you mean?

EDupont: Nothing. Just that it takes two.

AriaMaven: Of course it does, but it probably wouldn't have happened at all if Joanna didn't go after him.

EDupont: Are you so sure?

AriaMaven: What are you saying? That Amir would have eventually cheated on Megan anyways?

EDupont: No, I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying that there are too many variables for you to say anything can happen for sure.

AriaMaven: Well, I just think it's wrong to go after someone when you know they're already in a relationship with someone else.

EDupont: Perhaps, but many times these things also happen when you least expect it and when you're not looking, even when you're in a committed relationship.

Christine thought about this and had to admit he was right. She'd known of people who had appeared to be deeply in love, only to inexplicably break up when one or the other became involved with someone else against all apparent reason.

AriaMaven: I guess the heart just wants what it wants.

EDupont: Yes, and it's often stronger than what the mind tells it, until it's too late.

AriaMaven: Do you think Megan and Amir will ever get back together again?

EDupont: It'd be nice, but it's up to them. It depends on what their hearts want.

AriaMaven: But it doesn't always work out that way, does it?

EDupont: No, it doesn't. That's why love is so precious. It's hard to find, and it can be just as hard to keep.

AriaMaven: I wish life didn't have to be so complicated.

EDupont: When will you be free again?

AriaMaven: Excuse me?

EDupont: From school.

_Oh! Duh!_

AriaMaven: Friday.

EDupont: Can we get together then? I can pick you up at one.

AriaMaven: Okay. I'll look forward to it. Goodnight, Erik.

EDupont: Goodnight, Christine.

_

* * *

Wednesday evening _

Christine was having dinner with Roan at Gaston's. It was a comfortably crowded evening and he was telling her about his new projects as they were having their dessert. She listened politely as she shared their Bananas Foster.

"When the weather gets a little warmer, we'll have concerts at Golden Gate Park on the weekends again," he went on enthusiastically.

"I've been to those concerts before, and they're always wonderful. I didn't know you were involved with that," Christine said, surprised.

"Yes, among other things, but it's always exciting lining it up. It's free to the public and it gives people access to the type of music they may normally not have access to. I mean, not everyone can afford tickets to the Phil."

Christine thought that was wonderful on the part of the city and was about to ask about that when she noticed people seated around them suddenly turning towards the bar in the middle of their conversations. She wondered what they were looking at and looked over towards the bar and was surprised to see that they were looking at Erik and Amir walk in. Each man alone was handsome enough in appearance, but coming in together, they looked incredibly striking to say the least. Christine had often thought that runway models looked so uncommonly beautiful that they could almost be considered freaks of nature in a way. She rather thought that now.

As the men sat at the bar, Christine noticed that Erik again sat on Amir's right so that his masked side would face the bar as he was turned towards his friend. They both ordered drinks and sat quietly talking. Roan had also seen them enter and was trying his best to ignore them, but wasn't succeeding. From time to time, people would still look over at the two men, but they were engrossed in their conversation and oblivious to the attention they were receiving.

When they had finished their dessert, Roan paid their bill quickly and they left the restaurant. As they were pulling out of the parking lot, Roan asked, "Would you like to come over tonight, sweetheart? I've really missed being with you."

Christine really didn't want to go to Roan's tonight and wondered how she could refuse without hurting him.

"I really don't feel up to it tonight, babe. Is that all right? I'm a little tired."

"Why have you been so tired lately?" he asked as he looked over at her.

"Well, it's still that time of the month, and it makes me tire faster." _I think that sounds plausible _she thought.

"It's still pretty early, it's just 10:00. How about I just hang out with you at your place for a little while before I go home then?"

"Okay," she smiled. "That'd be fine." She wished she could just go home and go to bed since she had school the next day, but she didn't want to seem ungrateful by sending him home after he'd taken her to dinner.

When they stepped into her apartment, Roan took off his jacket and made himself comfortable in the living room as Christine excused herself to change in the bedroom. Pinecone looked up from her place on the bed when Christine turned on her bedside lamp, and she scratched her affectionately behind the ears as Pinecone purred.

When Christine came out, she was dressed in a warm fleece outfit, and she went to the kitchen to prepare some tea before joining Roan in the living room. She put on some soft music as she sat next to him, and he put his arm around her affectionately. He leaned over and sniffed lightly.

"What are you doing?" Christine asked, amused.

Roan smiled. "I'm smelling your perfume…you smell nice. What is that?"

"It's called Aria. I like it, too."

Roan buried his nose in her hair as he playfully nuzzled her. "Mmm…"

Christine giggled and pushed him away as she heard the teakettle start to whistle, and she went to the kitchen to turn off the stove.

"I got this new tea that I'd like you to try," she called from the kitchen. "It's called African Red Bush. It's from South Africa and it's very soothing."

She brought in two steaming mugs on a tray along with sugar and honey and set it down on the coffee table. Roan picked up his mug and sniffed it. "It smells good." He put a little honey in it and stirred it around before taking a sip. "Mmm…tastes good, too. Yeah, I can feel myself being soothed already…," he teased as he set down his mug.

Christine chuckled as she leaned her head against his shoulder. They were silent for several seconds when Roan gently turned her head towards his so he could kiss her. It was a sweet kiss, and it was nice. Christine appreciated his tenderness and enjoyed just sitting with him here tonight, just relaxing…no drama, no worries. They sipped their tea, each into their own thoughts.

When Roan had finished his tea, he rose from the couch and took his mug into the kitchen. He retrieved his jacket and softly mentioned that he should go, and Christine walked him to the door. "Thank you for coming out with me tonight, sweetheart," he said as he kissed her goodnight.

"Thank you for dinner," Christine smiled.

"I'll call you tomorrow," he murmured, and he turned and made his way down the stairs.

Christine closed the door gently and then locked it. It was almost eleven and she was tired, so she prepared herself for bed.

As Roan drove home, he thought about the evening. He'd wanted to make love to her in the worse possible way…but he knew that it wasn't what she wanted. He'd had to take his leave when he did because he was in pain. He would have to relieve himself the moment he got home or he'd burst. He wondered why she hadn't been as affectionate with him lately. Of course, it was probably because she was on her period and her hormones were off. _Strange, but they never seemed to bother her before…but women are always going up and down for one reason or another. _

He hoped he could make love to her soon because it was almost going on two weeks, and he was going crazy…

* * *

_Midnight_

They'd had a wonderful dinner and Joanna had enjoyed herself very much. Amir had been attentive and kind, and she had enjoyed the envious looks she'd received from the women, even noticing the envious looks the men gave Amir. The evening had been perfect. He'd taken her dancing and she'd been amazed at how incredibly sexy Amir looked as he moved. She'd never seen anyone who could dance like that.

It was late when he'd driven her to his penthouse, and she was very impressed by its spaciousness and decor. He'd lit the fireplace and invited her to take off her shoes so she could be comfortable. She was enchanted by the many interesting curios and photographs that were in his bookshelves and on his walls and she looked at each one while Amir prepared a drink for them. By the time he made them and brought them into the living room, Joanna was seated before the fireplace, staring into the fire.

He sat next to her and offered her her drink. "What do you see, darling?" he asked.

"What I hope my future looks like," she replied.

"And what do you hope your future holds?"

"Success as an opera singer, but I also hope to be married someday with a family. Is it possible to have both?"

Amir sighed. "I don't know, but I hope so."

"What do you hope for your future?" she asked, still looking into the fire.

Amir was quiet for awhile as he pondered this. "I suppose the same thing we all hope for…a happy life."

Joanna looked over at him then and nodded. He looked at her and studied her face. She was so beautiful, intelligent, sensual… And he knew she was kind. He'd heard only good things about her from the members of the cast and crew, and even Erik and said as much. Only Megan had spoken against her to him, and he imagined Christine felt the same way, but given their circumstances, he could understand why. That was undoubtedly an issue between the women, but to those outside their immediate circle, Joanna was as sweet and as genuine as she appeared.

He looked back into the fire, but he could feel himself stirring. He felt Joanna shift herself on the couch, and when he looked over at her, saw that she'd placed her legs under herself so that she now faced him. He reached over and gently placed his hand behind her head, bringing her closer so he could kiss her. He kissed her tenderly and then rose from the couch, extending his hand to her. Joanna placed her hand in his and stood, and Amir looked at her gently as he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. Joanna closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. _She's so wonderful _he thought...and he led her to his bedroom…


	57. The Rain

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 57

The Rain

_Wednesday night_

It was about 3:00 in the morning when Joanna awoke. She was disoriented at first, waking up in a unfamiliar bed, but when she saw Amir still asleep next to her, she relaxed, remembering their first night together.

Amir had led her by the hand to his bedroom, and Joanna had thought he would want to make love in a mad frenzy, but instead, he was exceptionally gentle, making sure she was comfortable at all times. It was wonderful, and he'd truly made love to her. She'd wondered what had happened to his last girlfriend, but the fact that he was here with her now was all that mattered.

She arose from the bed and padded silently to the bathroom, hugging herself against the cold. When she closed the bathroom door and turned on the light, she was amazed by how luxurious it was. There was a toilet, a bidet, and a urinal, and a bathtub large enough for at least two people. _You can learn a lot about a person by what's in their medicine cabinet_ she thought, and when she opened it, was surprised to see a cornucopia of expensive men's toiletries. There was an ornate shaving set, a toothbrush she was certain didn't come from the supermarket, and a tube of French toothpaste. She didn't see any medications other than a small bottle of aspirin and assumed that was because Amir was so health-conscious, which she liked.

When she returned to the bed and covered herself, Amir wrapped his arm around her in his sleep and drew her close. She snuggled against him and closed her eyes, but before falling asleep, her last thought was that this time, she hoped to God that this would last…

* * *

When Amir awoke, he automatically reached over to the other side of the bed and realized that Joanna wasn't there. He opened his eyes and saw her side of the bed empty and wondered if she'd left, until he smelled the heavenly aroma of freshly brewed coffee. His taste buds were immediately peaked, and his mouth started to water…and he also smelled bacon… 

He rose up and threw on his robe, making his way to the kitchen. Standing before the stove, wearing only a long chef's apron, her hair mussed but still attractively clipped up and out of the way, was Joanna frying bacon. She'd already prepared strawberry crepes and was now about to make scrambled eggs with chopped green onions.

Amir was amazed. She had arisen early to make him a scrumptious breakfast, and he was moved that she would do this for him. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her behind her ear. "Good morning, beautiful," he murmured. "You didn't have to do this for me."

Joanna smiled and kissed him back quickly before pouring the eggs into the skillet. "I know, but I wanted to, darling," she said happily.

When everything had been completed, she prepared their plates and set them on the table, which he saw had already been dressed with placemats, and the utensils attractively folded in cloth napkins. Everything looked so wonderful, and he was amazed to even see flowers on the table. "Where did these come from?" he asked, gesturing to the flowers.

"I got them this morning from the farmer's market down the street. They were so beautiful I couldn't resist them," she smiled.

Amir tasted the crepes and scrambled eggs and found that everything was perfect. He sipped his coffee and it was delicious. He only used cream and sugar when he needed to, but this coffee was wonderful, and he knew it wasn't from his pantry.

"I hope you like the coffee," Joanna said as she watched him. "This is what I drink at home and I was surprised to find it this morning at the market."

"Joanna, everything is perfect. I don't know when I've had such a wonderful home-cooked breakfast. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she smiled. "When I was at home, I always helped my mother prepare breakfast for the family, and we loved trying out new recipes all the time."

As they ate, Amir learned more about her and was able to share some anecdotes about his own early years in Iran. After breakfast, they shared doing the dishes and Joanna took her leave around ten. When she was gone, Amir felt good, he felt happy…but something was still missing…

_

* * *

Thursday, noon _

Christine was having lunch at her usual table when Megan came over with a tray of iced tea and a bowlful of cut up melon.

"That's all you're having for lunch?" Christine asked, eying the meager fare.

"It's all I have an appetite for," Megan said as she sat across from her. "Between practicing for the audition and studying for finals, I haven't been very hungry."

"But that's in two months," Christine smiled. "I think you still have time."

Megan looked at her wryly. "I don't want to take any chances."

"Heard from Alex?" she asked slyly.

At this Megan grinned. "As a matter of fact, I did. He called me last night and we talked for an hour! He says you gave him my number."

"I didn't think you'd mind," she smiled.

"I don't, and thank you for giving it to him. We're going out this weekend."

"Great, I'm glad to hear it." Christine smiled, but then asked gently, "How are you doing over Amir these days?"

For the first time since sitting down, Megan's smile faded. "I try not to think about it." She picked at her fruit bowl. "He was the love of my life," she whispered, and Christine saw that she had tears in her eyes.

She reached over and held her hand. "I'm so sorry. You were the best thing he's ever had, and if he can't see it, then he never deserved you. Maybe Alex will be The One."

At this, Megan smiled, but then said brokenly, "I just don't understand it. After seeing what Erik went through, how could he do this?"

"I spoke with Erik earlier this week, and I'm convinced it has to do with Mars and Venus. They'll never understand unless it happens to _them_. If there were someone chasing you or me, you can be sure they'd be upset, and I don't think they'd let the guy get away with it. But because it hasn't happened to _them_, they just see Joanna as this sweet young woman." Christine sipped her iced tea.

"Personally, I think she's mental," Megan said bitterly. "With all the available men in the world, what would make her go after someone who's already taken unless she had some serious issues?"

"I agree, but I'll bet you dollars to donuts that Amir will see it eventually, and then he'll dump her. I think he must have his own demons to work out, because why else would anyone go for just a pretty face when they've already got the world?"

Megan nodded. "I was the first serious girlfriend he's ever had, and maybe he just didn't know how to handle it, or maybe he wasn't ready for it...but it doesn't matter any more. He can bounce around from girlfriend to girlfriend if he wants, but I'm moving on with my life." She sipped her drink and sighed. "Anyways, how've you been? What's been going on in your life?"

Christine nibbled on her salad. "Well, I'm still dating Roan, and Erik and I are still talking. He took me to the zoo last week…"

"The zoo? You're kidding!"

Christine grinned at Megan's reaction. "Yes, it was really nice. I saw the pandas for the first time, and the Chinese golden monkeys. They were really beautiful. It seems Erik's a major contributor."

"Really? That's interesting."

"I was pretty surprised when I found out, but his name was on a plaque. And we're getting together again Friday."

"That's nice, I'm glad you guys are talking. How's it going with Roan?"

At this, Christine's smile fell somewhat and she took another bite of her salad. "It's okay, I guess. He took me out Monday and we ran into his parents. I already told him that I didn't want to meet them yet, but he set it up."

"So how did it go? What were they like?"

"They were nice enough, and he seems to be close to them…"

"But…?"

"But I just didn't want them thinking that they're going to be seeing me all the time, like we were going to get engaged." Christine stabbed her tomato before popping it into her mouth.

Megan stared at her as she ate another piece of melon. "So…how are we feeling about Erik these days?"

Christine looked up angrily, and then softened. "I enjoy being with him," she said. "Every time we go somewhere, it's like we belong together. We just get along so well. We can talk about anything and have a good time, or we can be quiet and just enjoy each other's company. I don't feel like I need to pretend when we're together, I can be myself."

"Then why are you still dating Roan?" Megan asked softly.

Christine looked at her. "Well, it was because of the trust issue. I can't be with someone if they're always going to be suspicious about me cheating on them."

"Does it feel like you're cheating on Roan when you go out with Erik?"

Christine paused. She didn't appreciate this question. "No, of course not. We just get together to talk, and it's always during the daytime."

"And your feelings towards Roan haven't changed at all because of it, right?"

Christine looked at her. "Right."

"Well, that's good, but tell me this. If Erik _does _trust you now, how would he prove it to you?

Christine sipped her iced tea and said smugly, "I don't know, but that's _his_ problem, not mine."

Megan looked at her gently. "Right."

* * *

"Thanks for telling me about this place. I love it. It's never too crowded, and their food's the best."

"I found it by accident, but I must come here at least once a week. Did you call Megan?"

Alex sipped his green tea. "Yeah, called her last night and talked for an hour. I'm taking her out this weekend."

"Where to?" Adrian popped a monkey ball into his mouth.

"Don't know yet, I'll have to think about it. She's special, so I want it to be someplace I know she'll really like."

"You say she broke up with her boyfriend? What happened?"

"I met him about a week before they broke up, but it seems he cheated on her and she saw them."

"Holy shit. Why'd he do that?"

Alex shrugged his shoulder. "Stupid. Couldn't keep it in his pants, I don't know."

"Nobody deserves that. So how's she getting over it?"

"She's having a hard time, she really loved him."

"Think he'll try to come back for her when he realizes what an ass he was?"

Alex smirked. "I don't know, but I'll make sure he never has the chance."

* * *

_Evening_

SeraphM: Hi, Christine. How are you doing?

AriaMaven: Hi, Roan. I'm fine. And you?

SeraphM: I'm okay. Missing you.

AriaMaven: Why don't you come over?

SeraphM: No, I don't think I want to tonight.

AriaMaven: Why not? What's the matter?

It was a little while before Roan responded, and Christine wondered if there was really something wrong.

SeraphM: I feel like things are changing between us.

AriaMaven: What do you mean?

SeraphM: The last few times we've been together, it seems like you don't want me to touch you.

AriaMaven: You know it's been that time of the month for me recently.

SeraphM: Yes, but you've never wanted me to not touch you before. What's happening, Christine?

This time it was Christine who didn't respond. What could she say?

AriaMaven: You know I'm not in love with you yet.

SeraphM: That's never stopped you from wanting me before. What's changed?

The fact of the matter was, Erik had been occupying more of her thoughts of late, and though she'd still been dating Roan and enjoyed being with him, she hadn't been thinking of him romantically.

SeraphM: Christine?

AriaMaven: You're right, things have changed, but I hadn't really thought about it. Maybe things are just naturally working out the way they're supposed to. Maybe we need to take a break.

SeraphM: A break? Are you saying you want to break up with me?

AriaMaven: No, not break up. Maybe just take a break, give each other a little space.

SeraphM: Christine, I love you! I don't want to take a break from you.

AriaMaven: Then what do you think we need to do?

SeraphM: Is there someone else? Did I do something?

AriaMaven: No, there's no one else and you didn't do anything. It's just me.

SeraphM: Christine, let's get together and talk about this when we have more time. Can I come over tomorrow evening after work?

AriaMaven: Okay, I'll see you then.

SeraphM: Okay. Goodnight, Christine.

AriaMaven: Goodnight, Roan.

_

* * *

Friday afternoon _

Christine was glad there was no school today. As she changed into a pair of flattering blue jeans, boots, and a pullover sweater, she thought about her conversation with Roan the night before. He was right, things were changing between them, and she didn't think it was because of Erik, although he may have hurried the process. Even if Erik was out of the picture, she was fairly certain she still wouldn't fall in love with Roan. They'd been together for close to three months, and if she hadn't fallen in love with him by now, she probably never would…

When Erik arrived at 1:00, she smiled when she saw him dressed casually in jeans, boots, a plaid Pendleton shirt, and a jacket. He looked _very _rugged and handsome, and Christine was suddenly strongly reminded of the Marlboro man. She'd never seen Erik dressed this way before and loved it. He smiled when he saw her dressed to go, and asked, "Are we ready to ride?"

Christine grabbed her jacket and purse and they made their way downstairs. It had been years since she'd been horseback-riding and she was looking forward to it. As they drove off, she noticed the skies were overcast again. The weatherman had predicted a 40 percent chance of showers increasing to 50 percent by the evening, but she loved it when it rained, and she remembered with a smile the last time she and Erik had gotten caught in a downpour.

As they drove northward, Erik paid the toll to go across the Golden Gate Bridge, and driving on, Christine was again awed by the sight of the Pacific Ocean below them on both sides. Although the bridge was certainly wide enough, she'd never liked driving across it, knowing that if her car ever left the bridge, she would fall twenty-five stories to the water. The thought made her nervous even now, so she turned to look at Erik, who smiled at her reassuringly. She always felt safer when she was with him. Perhaps it began when he saved her from the mugger, but she knew without a doubt that he would give his life to protect her. As she thought about this, she could feel herself getting choked up and her eyes begin to water, but she blinked them away.

Erik was happy as he drove north with Christine, and he was looking forward to riding with her. Although he loved horseback-riding, he rarely had the time to do so any more, so this was a very special outing. He treasured every opportunity he had to be with Christine, and his time spent with her was precious. Since the last time they'd been together, he thought he sensed a slight shift in their relationship and wondered if it in any way affected her relationship with Roan? He thought it must have, and then smiled as he thought absently _For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction._

Christine looked over and saw him smiling to himself. Amused, she asked, "What are you smiling about, mister?"

Erik looked over, still smiling. "Why, being with you, of course. I love to go riding, but I hadn't had the chance in years, and now, there's no one I'd rather share it with than you."

Christine grinned and saw that they'd reached the end of the bridge and were now coming upon Sausalito. The Pacific Coast Highway became California 1 from this point on and they drove another half hour until they arrived at Point Reyes, which was also a National Seashore.

Erik drove down a side road which took them to the stables, and they parked next to it as a man with a tackle box came out to greet them.

"Mr. Dupont, good to see you," he grinned. "Your horses are ready to go."

Erik shook his hand amiably. "Thank you, Steven. Miss Karlsson and I will be out about a couple hours. What do you think about the weather?"

"You should be okay until the evening, according to the weatherman," he said as he indicated a nearby wood. "Let me help you get the horses out."

When Steven brought the horses out from the stable, holding their reins, Christine was impressed by their beauty. They were both saddled and ready to go, the taller one a midnight black and the other a beautiful chestnut brown. As Christine approached her horse, she patted it gently. Erik approached her side and asked if she needed help getting onto the horse, and she declined, deciding that mounting a horse should be the least of her problems. But as she placed her left foot in the stirrup, she'd forgotten how tall a horse could be and began to lose her footing before she could swing her right leg up and over. Seeing her predicament, Erik smoothly righted her and helped her mount her horse. "Thank you," she said embarrassed, and she could feel herself blushing.

As Erik approached his horse, Steven handed him the reins and Erik mounted him gracefully. "Fish like weather like this, so I'll be down by the lake. Call my cell if you need anything," Steven waved as Erik led the way, skirting the wood. Christine had never been to Point Reyes and was surprised to see a wood so close to the ocean. It was beautiful and peaceful and she loved that they were riding together amidst so much natural beauty. As Erik rode ahead of her, he called back to her, "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. It's so beautiful here!" They were the only ones riding today, apparently due to the imminent rain, but Christine loved the overcast and stillness. "Do these horses have names?"

"Yes, yours is named Bella Donna, and mine is Nightshade."

Christine was rather surprised by these names and was about to say something about it when Erik asked, "Would you like to run?"

It'd been a long time since she'd ridden, but she figured she'd be all right, and prepared herself. "Okay!"

"YAW!" Erik yelled and slapped his horse with his rein, causing him to take off in a gallop, Christine's horse following on its heels.

She'd been unprepared for such a sudden start, but she'd fortunately had a tight grip on the reins. When Bella Donna had first bolted, Christine found herself bouncing up and down roughly and hanging on for her life, but as she picked up speed, noticed that the ride had become noticeably smoother, and she was even able to admire Erik's skilled horsemanship. _The way he rides is like music _she thought. They continued in this vein for a few minutes when Christine noticed that they'd approached a wide grassy area. Erik slowed his horse down at this point and walked it, and Christine slowed as well and rode next to him.

"Did you enjoy that?" he asked with a smile.

Christine was breathing deeply. "Yes, that was great! Where are we now?"

"This is the pastureland. There are usually cows here, but they're probably further up the hill now."

As they rode their horses through the pasture, Christine occasionally saw evidence of cows when she saw numerous cow pies. As beautiful and as lush as the pasture was, she sincerely hoped they wouldn't have to dismount for any reason.

When they came to the end of the pasture, they faced another wood and Erik led the way along a narrow path through the trees that went uphill. It was so quiet here, and Christine noticed that there were no birds or even buzzing insects in the trees or brush to mar the stillness. If she didn't have Erik with her, she might have even thought it was creepy.

After climbing the hill for another fifteen minutes, they finally crested the top. Erik brought his horse to a stop and hopped off, and he helped Christine dismount as she brought her horse up next to his. "Look at that," he said, and he pointed.

Christine turned around and gasped. The California coastline from this vantage point was _beautiful_. Everything here was beautiful…the wooded ridge, the ocean, the quiet…and she loved that she was sharing this with Erik. "Thank you," she whispered.

As she looked out towards the horizon, she could see the dark storm clouds gathering farther out at sea and thought what a magnificent painting that would make. She looked above them and saw the sky still overcast as it had been all day when she felt the first raindrop strike her nose. When she looked back down, she saw large droplets speckling their jackets.

"We'd better get back," Erik said, and he helped her mount her horse, and mounted his right after and led them back along the trail.

As they rode among the trees and brush, the rain fell harder until everything was wet and the trail was muddy and slippery, numerous rivulets running down the hillside. Erik turned his horse to where they were both under a broad tree that protected them from the rain and was still relatively dry underneath. He tied their horses to a low branch and helped Christine alight as he brought her to sit with him upon a part of the tree that was still dry. He took out his cell phone and saw that it was 4:00, and he called Steven.

"Hi, Steven? Erik Dupont. We got caught in the rain while we were up by the ridge. It's too dangerous to ride down. Can you come get us? Thanks."

Christine looked around at their surroundings and still thought it was beautiful. At least they were relatively dry here and the rain was flowing away from them. It could be hours before the rain stopped, but she knew they weren't in any danger, save getting hit by lightning, and Erik was here with her. She put the lightning thought out of her mind.

As they leaned against the tree, Erik placed his arms around her to keep her warm. "I'm sorry about this, cherie. I guess the weatherman was wrong."

Christine smiled and laid her head against his shoulder. "That's all right," she said softly. "If I had to be here with anyone, I'd want it to be you."

Erik's heart swelled at these words. "Really?"

"Really."

He smiled as he drew her closer to him. He hoped the rain wouldn't last too long…just long enough…


	58. Hopes and Dreams

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Many thanks to my reviewers. And thank you to my wonderful story editors Archeology 101, Penmora Zenith, and Musicallover for their valuable assistance on this chapter.

Chapter 58

Hopes and Dreams

_Friday evening_

It was finally quitting time, yet to Roan it had seemed that this day had dragged on interminably. Since his talk with Christine last night, he couldn't wait for the day to end so he could be with her and assure her of his love and that being together was right for both of them.

It was pouring as he made his way to the parking garage, and traffic was slow, owing to the evening rush hour as well as to the rain. It took him a little longer than usual to reach Christine's apartment building, but it gave him time to think about what he wanted to say to her. As he carefully parked in front of her building, he ran the short distance from his car to the front door and quickly made his way up the slick stairs to her apartment.

He knocked and tried to dry his face and push his wet hair away before Christine opened to him, but when no one answered, he knocked again and called her name. He leaned his head close to the door to see if he could hear anything, but all was quiet. He took out his phone and dialed her number, hearing it ring in her apartment, but when there was no answer, he tried her cell phone. In a few moments, he heard it ring from within the apartment. _Either she's home and doesn't want to open the door, or she went out and forgot her phone. Since she invited me here, she'd answer the door if she were home. So where is she? _

Having no other choice, he returned to his car, wondering where she could be. He started his engine and drove around to the back of the building to the carport and saw her car parked in her stall. _Could she have gone somewhere with Megan? _He decided to call her. After a couple rings, she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Megan? It's Roan."

"Roan? What's up?"

"I'm over here at Christine's and she's not home. I was wondering if she was with you?"

Megan knew that Christine was with Erik today, but she wasn't about to tell him that.

"Um, no, she's not with me. What's the matter?"

"I tried calling her cell phone and she left it at home. I was supposed to see her after work today, but she wasn't here, so I was kind of worried about her."

"I wouldn't worry about it. Something probably came up and she just forgot to take her phone. Just call her later."

"Okay, thanks. Bye."

"Bye."

Roan wondered where she could be if she wasn't with Megan. Who else would pick her up in the rain? He was getting a bad feeling about this, and though he knew he was clutching at straws, he could think of only one other alternative…_Erik._

With no other choice, he drove home and decided to try calling her later.

* * *

It had been raining heavily and everything was wet and muddy except for their small area under the tree. Christine was dozing peacefully in Erik's arms and seemed comfortable enough, but Erik knew they'd have to get off the hill soon, for the sun would be setting in a little over an hour and it would be impossible to get down the hill in the dark. Spending the night up here during the summer wouldn't be a hardship, but in February during the rainy season, the temperature would drop into the 30's. 

Christine stirred and opened her eyes. "Still raining, huh?" she murmured sleepily.

"Yes, but Steven'll be here in a few minutes to pick us up. We'll have to spend the night up here and then go home in the morning. Are you all right?" he asked gently.

"Yes, because you're here with me," she smiled, and she closed her eyes again.

Erik almost wished they could stay like this, but knew he had to get her out of the rain. The sun was going down and it was noticeably darker by the time they heard Steven's four-by-four trudging up the hill. When they saw his headlights, they stood as he parked next to the tree by the horses.

Steven tied the horses to the back of the truck as they loaded themselves into the cab. Erik held Christine's hand to reassure her as they made their way slowly and precariously down the hill, occasionally losing traction and sliding in the mud, but finally making it down safely. After several minutes, they pulled into the driveway next to the stables.

"Where's your nearest hotel?" Erik asked.

"The nearest one would be the Black Heron Inn just about a mile up that way," Steven gestured towards the road. "It's very nice, and they have a restaurant."

"Thanks for everything." Erik shook his hand as they exited the truck and thankfully climbed back into his Range Rover. He looked over at Christine and wondered if she'd had enough of this day. Getting caught in a rainstorm and being rescued off the top of a hill couldn't have been what she'd had in mind for an outing. "Are you okay?" he asked again. He couldn't blame her if she never wanted to go out with him again, but when she turned to look at him, he was surprised to see that she was smiling.

"It's been a long time since I've had an adventure, and it was kind of exciting. I had a good time."

_Amazing. _He smiled at her, relieved, and they returned to the road and made their way to the hotel, which was a beautiful stone two-story establishment located up a gentle incline.

When they entered the hotel lobby, they were greeted by a welcoming fire in the stone fireplace and a smiling desk clerk behind the counter. "Wet enough for you folks?" he asked cheerfully.

Erik stepped up to the counter and smiled. "We'd like two rooms, please."

When he'd gotten their keycards, they trudged up the stairs and found their rooms, which were next door to each other. They were very nicely appointed and each had a fireplace and large picture windows that looked out over the grounds. Christine imagined that it must be quite an expensive room to have such a view and amenities, and this was confirmed when she checked the information on the back of her door. _Yikes! $275 per night? _As she looked around, she was surprised to see a common door between their two rooms and went to unlock it. She knocked on it lightly and Erik opened the door.

"Is your room satisfactory?" he asked.

"Yes, it's very nice. I think I'll take a shower now."

"That's a good idea. You can lock this door if you want." He wanted her to feel safe and not have to worry about him coming into her room unannounced, although he knew he never would. "I'll go downstairs and get us something to eat."

He closed the door, and as Christine went to shower, he made his way down to the lobby. He noticed a gift shop off to his left, and out of curiosity, wondered what sort of trinkets a gift shop in this area would have. He was actually quite pleased by what he found there and took his time looking around. After purchasing a number of items, he walked across the lobby to the restaurant, which was small but cozy, and saw a few people seated by the fireplace at the far end of the room. He ordered a couple large bread bowls of beef stew and bottled water and brought it back up to the room along with his bag of purchases.

Erik removed from the shopping bag the items he'd purchased for himself before knocking on the common door. When Christine opened it, he saw that she'd showered and washed her hair and was now wearing one of the hotel robes. "Dinner's here," he smiled, and he handed her a small tray with the hot stew and her water. "And I picked up a few things I thought you could use," he said as he handed over the shopping bag.

"Thank you," she smiled as she took the tray and bag. "Mmm, it smells great."

"I'm going to take a shower now. Let me know if you need anything else, cherie." He smiled reassuringly and then closed the door.

Erik removed his jacket and draped it over a chair before going over to light the fireplace. He turned on just the one lamp next to the bed, so the spacious room was still relatively dark even with the fire. He went over to sit on the king-sized bed as he removed his boots and took a good look around at the room. It was nice, and he was glad they'd at least be comfortable while they waited out the storm. He removed his shirt, jeans, and briefs and he could feel the warmth from the fireplace. His jacket and jeans were still wet, so he draped them over a chair and moved it closer to the fire to dry. He could smell the beef stew and it made him realize just how hungry he was, but he didn't want to eat until he'd taken a shower.

He took off his mask as he walked into the bathroom and laid it on the counter as he turned on the shower. When he finally stepped under the steaming water, he closed his eyes and thought about what a day it'd been, and then he thought about Christine just in the next room. By tomorrow, they would have spent an entire day and night together. He wondered if Roan had tried to call her, and then realized that he hadn't seen her use her phone at all the entire time they'd been together. He was glad she was comfortable being with him, but then wondered how much closer he could actually get to her if she was still dating Roan…

* * *

Christine was eating her beef stew as she sat cross-legged on the bed watching the news. It was good, but she thought her own recipe handed down from Mrs. Valerius was better. But it was good for a rainy day, and since taking a shower and washing her hair, she felt refreshed. While showering, she had remembered that she was supposed to have met Roan at her apartment when he got off work today, but she wasn't there. She was sure he'd be worried about her, but she couldn't think of what to tell him without incurring an avalanche of questions she wasn't ready to answer. She had no idea at this point how she'd explain being gone all day and night, but she didn't want to worry about that now. She finished her beef stew and sipped her water and then looked over at the shopping bag, wondering what Erik had bought for her. 

When she opened the bag, she was pleased to take out a matching gray knit top and knit pants, a pair of knee socks, an oversized sleep shirt, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a comb and hairbrush set, and surprisingly, a package of three white Fruit of the Loom panties. She was somewhat embarrassed as she looked at the panties, but she had to admit she appreciated Erik's sense of practicality and was thankful to have a change of clothes.

It was about a half hour later when she heard a light knock on the common door, and when she opened it, she had to smile when she saw Erik dressed in an outfit very similar to her own, but in a slightly darker shade of gray. "Nice outfit," she grinned.

"Would you like to come and watch a movie in my room?" he asked with a smile.

Christine gladly accepted the invitation and made herself comfortable on his bed by adjusting a pillow behind her back while Erik ordered the movie, and she was glad to see that it had just enough gratuitous sex and violence to make it mindlessly entertaining. A second movie two hours later was similar to the first, but Christine had started to become sleepy towards the end and had begun leaning on Erik's shoulder until she was fast asleep. Erik had placed his arm around her and she had eventually laid her head down on his lap, but he hadn't minded in the least. He gently stroked her hair back from her face and looked down at her, thinking about the last few months. _What a fool I've been to ever have doubted you. Please forgive me…_ He sighed, and wished they could spend the night together in his bed. Instead, he placed his hand on her shoulder and gently shook her.

"Christine, the movie's over," he whispered.

She opened her eyes and murmured sleepily, "It's over? Rats, I really wanted to see that ending."

Erik smiled as she pushed herself up on the bed and rubbed her eyes. "I think we'd better get to bed," he said softly, and he helped her as she made her way unsteadily to the door. He opened it for her, but before stepping through, she turned around and hugged him. Erik was surprised by this, but he hugged her back.

"Thank you for taking care of me today," she said sincerely.

"You're welcome, cherie."

She released him and then closed the door, but he noticed that she didn't lock it, not that she needed to, but he was glad nonetheless.

He turned off his TV and prepared for bed, noticing that it was almost 11:30 and that it was still raining heavily outside. He hoped it would be over by morning. He removed his clothes and his briefs and climbed into bed nude, as was his custom, and turned off the lamp next to the bed. The fire was still burning, but the timer would wind down soon enough.

As he lay in bed staring up at the ceiling, he thought of Christine just in the next room. When she'd been sleeping in his lap, he was able to smell her faint perfume, the one he'd gotten her for Christmas, and he was glad she liked it. It had felt almost like old times, except before, he would have awakened her to come to bed with him, and they would have lain in each other's arms until the morning. He wondered if she would wear the sleep shirt he had purchased for her from the gift shop or if it was her habit to sleep in the nude as he did? When they were first together, they had always slept together in the nude. He remembered how she had looked then…beautiful, perfect.

He turned to look at the common door, and wondered what would happen if he quietly entered her room and gently kissed her, and then slowly attempted to seduce her…_what would she do? _

* * *

Christine thought she would have slept longer after she'd fallen asleep during the movie, but it was just 12:30 when she awoke. It seemed she'd been dreaming about Erik when something woke her up. She was awake now and couldn't return to sleep, so she just laid in bed thinking. She thought about their day together riding, and then getting caught in the rain. It was kind of romantic, actually. They were cut off from everybody and alone up on the hill, and now they were spending the night in two adjoining rooms. Erik had been the perfect gentleman the entire time, making sure she was safe and secure, and never doing anything that was inappropriate or untoward. Although…she had to admit in her heart of hearts that she really wouldn't have minded if he had. 

She paused as she thought about this. _So what am I saying? That I actually wanted him to try something? _She closed her eyes and then opened them again to stare up at the ceiling. _I know I don't love Roan, and I know we need to break it off. I'll always love Erik, but does he trust me now? I know he's sorry about what's happened, but are things really that different between us now? Could we really begin again? _

She wished they could go back in time to where their misunderstanding had never happened. But she knew she could never abide his distrust again. _Can I ever believe that he trusts me? _

* * *

It was a quarter to one when Christine climbed out of bed and looked toward the common door. She was wearing her sleep shirt and panties, but she removed her panties before approaching the door. She leaned her head in, but could hear nothing. _Erik must be asleep._ She knocked softly so she wouldn't surprise him, but he didn't answer, so holding her breath, she gently turned the knob and opened the door. Her heart was pounding as she nervously stepped though the doorway. 

As she slowly approached his bed, she pulled her night shirt up and over her head and dropped it soundlessly on the floor. She was naked as she climbed into his bed and pulled the covers over herself. She moved closer to his side of the bed so she could feel him next to her, and kept moving over until she reached the other side. He wasn't there!

Suddenly, she heard a keycard being inserted into the door. She jumped out of bed and grabbed her nightshirt, running quietly through the common door until she was in her room again. Her heart pounding and breathing roughly, she could hear him opening his door and closing it, but she couldn't close the common door without a telltale click, so she closed it as far as possible without having the latch close.

She picked up her panties and went into her bathroom, pulling her nightshirt and panties back on. She grabbed a glass from the counter and filled it with tap water, and she drank, her hands shaking. _What was I thinking? _

_

* * *

Saturday morning _

After arising and getting dressed, they went downstairs to the restaurant for breakfast. Though it was still raining, it wasn't raining nearly as hard as it had been the day before, so they planned to leave after breakfast.

Christine had ordered pancakes and eggs with a side of bacon, and Erik watched her with amusement as she wolfed down her breakfast.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked as he had some fruit.

"Eventually I did. How about you?"

"I wasn't able to sleep, so I went downstairs to the restaurant to get a drink. You seem very hungry this morning," he noted.

Christine smiled down at her plate. "Great pancakes," she said.

It was about ten when they left the hotel and made their way south on California 1. Erik looked over at Christine and was surprised to see her dozing lightly, but imagined she was tired from getting to sleep so late.

He'd been unable to sleep last night for thinking about Christine being in the very next room and separated from him by an unlocked door. He'd tried pacing and watching TV, but nothing had helped. He'd even considered masturbating, but then decided to get a drink instead. It was 12:30 when he left his room and made his way down to the restaurant. He'd been gone for no more than fifteen minutes, but when he returned to his room, he could tell immediately that something was different.

Even before he turned on the light, he could smell Christine's perfume. When he turned on the lamp, he saw that his covers had been rearranged. And when he looked towards the common door, he saw that it was ajar, although he distinctly remembered closing it the night before. He knew beyond a doubt that Christine had been in his room and in his bed while he'd been downstairs. But she hadn't stayed in his bed. _Why?_

He looked over at her again as she slept, and like all things, knew that the answers would come in time.

* * *

When Erik had dropped Christine back at home, she'd hugged him before he left, thanking him again for his care. They had held each other longer than necessary, but then had simply said goodbye. Christine changed clothes and then had fallen asleep immediately on top of her bed. She couldn't remember when she'd ever been this tired, but now there was someone knocking insistently on her door. Rising up groggily and looking out the peephole, she saw that it was Roan. _Great._

She tried to shake the sleepiness out of her eyes as she opened the door, but was apparently unsuccessful as Roan's first words were, "Did I wake you?"

"I was just trying to get a nap," she said distractedly. "Come on in."

But before she could turn around, he grabbed her in an affectionate hug. "I'm really glad to see you, sweetheart. I missed you yesterday."

Christine went to the kitchen to heat some water while Roan removed his jacket and made himself comfortable in the living room. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you came over yesterday. I went out and got caught in the rain and forgot all about it."

"That's okay, I understand," he said. "So where'd you go? Who were you with?"

"I went to visit a friend up north and spent the night there because of the rain."

Roan wondered about seeing her car in the carport. "How'd you get there?"

"They picked me up and brought me back."

Roan thought that was rather odd. "So who are these friends?"

The tea kettle started to whistle and Christine got up to make some tea. "You wouldn't know them, they were just old friends of the family."

"Um, I'd wanted to talk about our relationship and where it's going."

"Right, that's why you came over yesterday." Christine brought in the tea and some honey and sugar on a tray.

Roan was facing her on the couch. He was nervous and hoped desperately that Christine could understand what she meant to him. "Christine, I love you, but we haven't been intimate in two weeks. I'm not going to pressure you about it, but I need to know – what do you want me to do?"

Christine looked into her tea as she warmed her hands around the mug. "I don't know," she said softly. And then she looked up at him. "I don't know."

Roan stared at her blankly, his heart as heavy as a stone. There was nothing more he could say. He grabbed his jacket and quickly took his leave.

Christine remained seated on the couch as she sipped her tea, thinking. Nothing had been settled, but how did she really feel now? Did she truly want to try again with Erik, or did she and Roan just need more time?

_

* * *

Saturday evening _

It was 8:00 when Alex picked her up, and Megan was pleased to see him dressed up, but not overly, in a handsome dark suit. He kissed her cheek and looked at her appreciatively, thinking that her dress was perfect. "You look beautiful, Megan."

"Thank you." _How strange _she thought. _I never thought I'd be dating so soon after breaking up, but it's like a stone in my heart that won't go away._

As Alex walked her to his car and opened the door for her, she was surprised to see that he drove a black Lexus. _Typical attorney's car _she thought. As they pulled out, Megan saw that he was taking her uptown.

When they'd reached their destination, she was pleased to see they'd pulled up at Jonathan's, an elegant Mediterranean restaurant. She'd never eaten here before, but had read wonderful things about it in magazines. As Alex spoke to the hostess, she led them to a very nice table in a corner and left them menus, and Alex ordered champagne for both of them.

He helped Megan remove her coat and pulled the chair out for her as they sat at their table. Megan smiled as she looked around, feeling happy and glad to be in Alex's company. It was a very cozy restaurant with dim lighting and Mediterranean accents. As she looked across the table at him now, she thought he looked very handsome and remembered a time not long ago when she could never have imagined him looking the way he did now. It was almost as though he'd undergone a dramatic transformation, but only in her own mind as he apparently looked this way every day at work, and she found herself wondering if there were other women at his job who found him as attractive as she did. She frowned as she remembered talking to Amir about this very thing.

"Are you all right?" Alex asked, and she noticed then that he had been looking at her.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said quickly, embarrassed. "I was just thinking of something."

When their waiter approached to take their order, Megan ordered the ahi tuna and Alex ordered grilled duck. When she looked up, she saw that he was looking at her again with a small smile gracing his handsome face.

"What?" she asked uncertainly.

He merely shook his head. "Nothing," he said softly. "You're just so beautiful."

Megan didn't know what to say.

"What do you plan to do when you graduate?" he asked easily.

Megan smiled. It seemed she'd been thinking of little else aside from school and Amir lately. "I plan to audition at the Phil, and if I get accepted, I'll be working there."

"What kind of performance major are you?"

"Dance, ballet."

"Really? I'd love to see you perform sometime," he said sincerely. "My mother took me to see an opera once when I was younger, and I've been hooked ever since."

They conversed quietly and easily together, and when their food was served, Megan was very pleased with the presentation and delighted by her choice. When their champagne was poured, Alex made a toast to her, stating simply, "To you."

When they finished their dinner and dessert of chocolate torte, Alex took her next door to J's, a small, very well appointed club with a bar, tables and chairs, a stage, and a small dance floor. There was a jazz quartet playing softly and couples on the dance floor as they made their way to a comfortable table by the wall, and when a waitress came by to take their drink orders, Megan ordered a French martini and Alex ordered Courvoisier.

As Megan sipped her drink, she remembered that the first time she'd ever ordered a French Martini was when she was with Amir at the Paladin Club. As she remembered that night, his incredible dancing, having sex on the dance floor, and then in the elevator before they'd even gotten to his apartment, the memories came flooding back unexpectedly like a tidal wave, and she had to close her eyes to block the rush of emotions that followed on its heels. Vaguely, she thought she heard Alex speaking to her. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Would you like to dance?" he asked gently.

Megan nodded. "Yes, thank you."

As they walked to the dance floor and took their places among the other couples, Alex took her in his arms and they slowly swayed to the music. Megan felt very comfortable dancing with him and liked how he felt as they danced. He was as tall as Amir and firm, and he held her gently in his arms, and she liked that.

* * *

It was a little after eleven when he brought her home, and she had just unlocked her door. "Thank you for the evening," she smiled. "I had a wonderful time." 

"I'm glad, I did, too. I'd like to see you again, Megan," he said softly, and he gazed at her gently.

"All right," she whispered, and then his lips covered hers and lingered in a wonderfully sweet kiss.

They said goodnight, and as she closed her door, she thought about their wonderful evening together even as a sob suddenly rose up from deep within, and tears ran down her face.


	59. The Salsa Festival

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 59

The Salsa Festival

_Sunday_

It was overcast as they walked along Pier 39, but the usual crowd of tourists were not dissuaded from seeing and photographing one of San Francisco's most popular attractions. Christine enjoyed walking along the boardwalk despite the crowd and was glad that Roan seemed to enjoy it, too. She was surprised when he'd called her this morning and asked if she'd care to have lunch with him. They didn't talk about yesterday or the fact that she didn't know where she wanted their relationship to go, so she imagined that Roan just wanted to put it behind him and work on what they had. She'd actually been thinking about the time she'd spent with Erik at Point Reyes this weekend and realized that she was having to lie to Roan more often in order to explain herself and her whereabouts. It wasn't right, and she knew it had to stop. Although she enjoyed her time with Roan and genuinely liked him, it was becoming obvious that it was probably time to stop.

As they walked slowly past the gift shops hand in hand, Christine spied a beautiful wooden music box on a display stand and pulled Roan to come in and look with her, but after numerous gift shops, he begged off this time, choosing instead to sit on a bench and wait for her. As she went inside the store, Roan was glad to be off his feet finally. Window shopping wasn't his favorite activity, but he loved her and wanted to be with her and this is what she had wanted to do. It wouldn't have been so bad if he knew there would be a reward at the end of the rainbow, but it seemed almost a waste to spend this much time together and not be intimate, especially if they were dating.

_How long will I have to wait?_ He was sure he was falling into a depression. He'd been masturbating daily, and sometimes more than once a day, working himself up into a frenzy each time. _This can't be healthy for me._

"Well, stranger, long time no see," said a sweetly feminine voice behind him.

When he turned, he was surprised to see Hillary, still as beautiful and as fashionable as ever, even bundled against the cold. "Hillary, what a surprise! It's been ages," he grinned as he hugged her warmly.

"I've missed you, Roan. I've had you on my mind ever since the last time we were together," she said, glancing momentarily below his belt. "You've got my number, so why haven't you called?"

"Well, I've been pretty busy…" he began.

At that moment, Christine exited from the gift shop and approached him. "That music box wasn't what I had in mind and I didn't see anything else." She paused for a moment when she realized that Roan had been talking to someone, and then smiled cordially at this new presence. "Oh, hello. I'm Christine." She looked to Roan for an introduction, but he seemed momentarily shocked. "Roan?"

Almost on cue, he snapped out of it. "Yes, Christine, this is an old friend of the family, Hillary Fontaine. Hillary, this is my girlfriend, Christine Karlsson."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Hillary," Christine smiled as she extended her hand.

Hillary appeared stunned as she stared at her, and though she extended her hand, her grip was almost nonexistent. She stared at her and looked at her up and down before turning her attention back to Roan. "Yes, I can see you've been very busy. Well, it's been very nice meeting you, _Ms. Karlsson._" She evaluated Christine once more before turning away and disappearing into the crowd.

"Wow, she sure wasn't very friendly," Christine commented. "Was she an old girlfriend or something?"

Roan took Christine's hand and began walking with her again. "Yeah, an old friend."

_

* * *

Wednesday evening _

EDupont: Good evening, Christine.

AriaMaven: Good evening, Erik.

EDupont: How have you been since your ride on Friday?

AriaMaven: I was a little sore between the legs, but it's better now. How have you been?

EDupont: I've been well. Have you had any problems explaining your whereabouts to Mr. Richards?

AriaMaven: Not really.

EDupont: Really?

AriaMaven: Well, not much anyways.

EDupont: I see. The Salsa Festival is this Saturday and I wondered if you would like to accompany me.

AriaMaven: I would!

EDupont: Excellent. I'll pick you up at eleven.

AriaMaven: I look forward to it. Goodnight.

EDupont: Goodnight.

As Christine signed off, she realized that she hadn't even given Roan a second thought when she'd accepted Erik's invitation. Roan might very well have plans for them that day.

But she didn't care.

* * *

Erik smiled as he signed off on his computer. He was pleased to see that Christine seemed more eager to see him. At the same time, he wondered about the current state of her relationship with Roan. Was it possible that she was still intimate with him? He highly doubted it, and if this had been going on for some time, what state was Mr. Richards in now? This thought amused him greatly. 

All he needed to do now was wait.

_

* * *

Thursday _

Joanna had wanted to meet Amir at a Viennese restaurant she'd found directly halfway between her home and the Phil, and so Amir had met her at the Old Vienna Restaurant which was among a number of eateries across the street from the San Francisco Superior Court. It was a charming restaurant decorated in the old-world style, and Joanna felt completely at home and was thrilled to meet the owners and speak to them in her native German language.

Amir was pleased that Joanna was becoming more accustomed to living in the United States and that she was slowly making friends. She was doing well at the Phil, and he wished her to learn as much about American culture as possible during her stay.

She spent the night at his apartment several nights a week and often made dinner for him, which he enjoyed. And when he wanted to make love to her, she was always ready and surprisingly willing to indulge him in whatever sex play he wished. He was able to live out his most outlandish fantasies with her, and she was his willing slave, master, lover, and captive. In the evenings, during and after dinner, they would often spend time talking about all manner of subjects – scientific, political, social, cultural – and have a wonderful and often rousing time debating. And when they would go out on the town, he would be the envy of every man who saw them, for Joanna was beautiful and knew how to dress and make herself more beautiful and alluring to make an impression.

As he sat across the booth from her now, he had to agree with Erik's assessment that Joanna was almost the perfect woman. Even so, he once again found himself asking _Then why can't I love her? _

They had a very pleasant lunch, and it seemed that the owners had been thoroughly charmed by Joanna. She promised them that she would be back soon and seemed in high spirits by the time they left. Amir kissed Joanna goodbye and went to retrieve his car in the parking lot behind the restaurant. He sat there momentarily thinking about Joanna and about where this relationship was truly going when he noticed a couple exiting another restaurant and stopping to talk by a car. He normally would have ignored them but for the woman's long blond hair. _That's Megan! _

She was talking to an extremely handsome young man dressed in a dark suit, and by their body language, he could tell that they were more than just casual friends, perhaps dating. After a few more moments, as they were about to take their leave of one another, the man embraced and kissed her as Megan placed her arms around him and kissed him in return. Amir was livid, but thankfully they stopped before too long and Megan entered her car and drove off as the man re-entered the restaurant. But now he was left with burning questions…

_Who was he? What is he to her? Why do I care?_

_

* * *

Friday, March 3 _

Christine was looking forward to attending the Salsa Festival with Erik tomorrow. She hadn't heard from Roan since last Sunday when they'd run into Hillary, but she was actually quite glad and was surprised to realize that she felt more relaxed when he wasn't around. She went downstairs to her mailbox and retrieved her mail, sorting junk mail from bills, and shredding the junk.

When she opened her bills, one was unfamiliar, from J.P. Morgan & Associates. Judging by the envelope, she imagined it to be another advertisement for life insurance or pre-approval for a loan, but instead, it looked more like a statement of account.

As she looked it over, it appeared to say that she had $502,163.42 in an account. _But I don't have that kind of money in any account. The money my parents left me isn't nearly that much. _

She looked closer and noted the Description that read: Original piece, Dupont No. 5093, For Christine.

And then she remembered what Erik had told her on Christmas Day -- _"This is a trust fund, my love, for you. When this song is marketed, it will be very lucrative, and all royalties from it will be directed into this fund for you, to be reinvested through the years. You'll never have to worry about money again, nor will you have to work if you don't want to. You'll be able to devote your life to music if you wish. If anything ever happens to me, or to us, I'll at least know that you will always be taken care of." _

Christine was stunned. She'd never realized nor appreciated at the time exactly what the trust meant although Erik had told her. But now, here was the proof. She would never have to work another day in her life, and she could just devote herself to her music. Erik believed in her enough to do this for her. _He believed in me_.

Christine walked into the kitchen and poured herself some ice water and took a generous drink. She looked at the account statement again to make sure she wasn't dreaming, then went to her bedroom closet to place the statement in among her other important papers. She needed to think about this, what it meant for her future, and what it meant for her and Erik.

_

* * *

Saturday _

Christine was looking forward to attending the Salsa Festival with Erik as they drove west towards Golden Gate Park. It was one of those events which she had always wanted to attend but had never made the time to go to. As they crested a hill, she could see Golden Gate Park and large flags showing that the Salsa Festival was being held near the middle of the park, close to the large, man-made lake. They obtained parking at a specially designated lot and then took a shuttle to the festival.

As they disembarked, Christine was amazed at the crowds and the number of tents around the park. The festival's main attraction was salsa, but the event had grown over the years to include foods from various restaurants, a salsa tasting contest, dance lessons to learn the salsa, as well as a dance contest, and a Miss Salsa. And of course, no festival would be complete without numerous gift tents selling all manner of salsa and chili-related gifts and wares.

The atmosphere was noisy and festive despite the customary San Francisco overcast, and Christine was loving that Erik seemed to be as pleased to be here as she was, and they wasted no time in sampling the various salsas set out for this purpose. As they made their way through the various displays and tents, Christine suddenly wondered when it was that she and Erik had started to hold hands. It had seemed so natural that she hadn't even noticed, and she wondered if Erik had noticed it as well. At any rate, she liked it, and it was practical so they wouldn't become separated in the crowd.

As they walked along, they were surprised to come upon a tent for Fong's Chinese Restaurant. Madame Wu was there with her grandson Evan, and it seemed their salsa was a big hit. "Madame Wu, I had no idea the Chinese had salsa," Christine smiled as she approached their tent.

"Christine! So good to see you again!" Madame Wu cried when she caught sight of her. She grasped her hands tightly and kissed her cheek. "And Erik! Here, try some, I think you'll be surprised."

They were each handed a small plastic cup with salsa and a chip and they cautiously tasted it. It was delicious! "This is great!" Christine grinned.

Erik had been talking to Evan Fong, and as they prepared to take their leave, he gave Evan a lingering hug.

Christine noticed that Erik seemed somewhat subdued as they walked away and asked."You're really close to him, aren't you?"

"Yes, he's like a son to me," Erik said softly. "He said he was going into reconstructive surgery."

Christine was amazed. She could tell that Erik was rather emotional after having spoken with Evan, but now she understood why. Evan had seen his face after Erik had gotten mugged many years ago, and that one experience had evidently influenced the branch of medicine he would pursue. _How ironic it would be if Evan were to eventually reconstruct Erik's face_. She squeezed his hand, and he looked over at her and smiled.

"It's almost lunch time. Are you getting hungry?" he asked.

Although they'd been snacking their way through the park, Christine had to admit she was hungry, so they approached a tent that was sponsored by Burrito Express. Mr. and Mrs. Garcia were busy filling orders when Mrs. Garcia saw Christine and Erik. "Christine and Mr. Dupont! What can I get for you folks?" she said cheerfully. "Have you seen Alejandro?"

"No, not yet," Christine smiled back. "I'd like your Tacos Dorado with rice and beans, and a bottled water, please."

"And I'll have the same," Erik chimed in.

"Carlos! Two Tacos Dorado with rice and beans!" Mrs. Garcia called to her husband. "Coming right up. And if you see my son, tell him to stop by the tent. I hear he's got a new girlfriend!" she said excitedly.

When they received their plates, they walked over to one of the many tables set up for diners near the lake and sat facing the lake to watch the ducks and their chicks. Their lunch was delicious, and the complimentary salsa and chips were wonderful. Christine had been thinking about her trust fund ever since receiving the account statement yesterday, and she wanted to say something to Erik about it but was uncertain how to begin.

"Are you all right, my dear?" he asked, concerned. "You seem a little quiet."

Christine looked up from her taco. "Erik," she began softly. "Yesterday, in the mail, I received an account statement on the trust fund you set up for me. It said there was a half million dollars in it."

Erik nodded. "Yes, that sounds about right. For a movie like that, where the actors receive tens of millions of dollars, for an original song, that would be about right."

Christine put down her taco and closed her eyes. She shook her head, as though at a loss for words. "Erik, how can I ever thank you for something like this? I can never repay you…"

"I don't want you to repay me, cherie," he said sincerely. _Just tell me you love me, Christine._

When they finished their lunch, they tossed their plates in the trash and prepared to take in more of the tents and gift stands. But before proceeding, Christine placed her arms around Erik's waist and hugged him tightly. "Thank you...thank you," she said brokenly.

Erik held her in his arms, loving the feel of her. "You're welcome, Christine," he said softly.

"What's going on, Christine?" It was a cold but familiar voice she hadn't expected to hear.

It was Roan. Christine released Erik immediately, and stammered in her nervousness, "N-nothing is going on, Roan."

He stared coldly at Erik. "That's not what it looks like to me."

Christine stared at him, remembering the last time she'd seen him like this was when they were at P3 and he'd been ready to fight Erik on the spot. She could see Hillary behind him, smirking at the building tension. Christine didn't want anything to happen and she was afraid as she saw people starting to notice of their stand-off. "Roan, can we talk about this later? This isn't the time or the place for it," she pleaded.

Erik took Christine's hand at this point and then placed an arm around her waist as he pulled her away. He looked at Roan and even seemed amused as he said calmly, "This conversation is over, Richards."

Disgusted, Roan started to turn away, but said in parting, "This is far from over, Dupont."

They watched as Roan walked away with Hillary behind him, and Christine realized she was shaking.

"Are you all right?" Erik asked, for he could feel her trembling.

"Yes, I think so," she said uncertainly.

Erik took her hand again and led her from the area to a gift tent to take her mind off the confrontation. There was quite a selection of attractive jewelry in this tent, so Erik selected and purchased a pair of lovely earrings and a matching necklace for Christine as a remembrance of their time at the Salsa Festival. Christine was surprised when he presented it to her and loved it when he placed the necklace around her neck and asked her to don the earrings. Gazing in a mirror, Christine was very pleased with how it exactly matched what she was wearing, and was reminded of Erik's impeccable taste. She was so pleased that she reacted spontaneously and kissed Erik on the lips, surprising the both of them.

Shocked, Christine placed a hand over her mouth. "Oh! I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

Recovering quickly, Erik smiled wryly. "It's quite all right."

Taking their leave, they continued along the row of food booths and tents when Erik asked, "Do you know how to dance the salsa?"

"Yes, I do," she smiled. Christine was glad now for the times Megan used to insist that she practice dancing with her, for Megan believed that knowing certain basic dances were essential, the salsa being one of them.

In the distance, Christine could hear music playing, and as they got closer, saw that there was a large crowd of people on a makeshift dance floor. Christine had always thought the Salsa Festival would have been primarily for the Latino population, but was pleasantly surprised to see a mix of people from the general population represented on the dance floor, but whose collective attention was now focused upon a single couple in the middle of the throng who were dancing spectacularly. When they stepped closer, Christine was shocked when she saw that it was Megan and Alex! When the music finally concluded to the appreciative cheers and whistles of the crowd, Alex and Megan embraced and shared a joyful kiss before a different piece began to play and the rest of the couples resumed dancing. Christine had always been impressed by Megan's dancing ability, but seeing her give an impromptu exhibition such as this was certainly impressive, and she felt a deep pride in her friend who was like a sister.

On the far side of the dance floor had been another pair of eyes who had looked jealously at the two dancers as they'd moved seductively to the music. Megan had been beautiful, and seeing her dancing with such joyous abandon in the arms of such a handsome Latino did nothing to assuage the seething anger that Amir could just barely contain and which he'd never felt before. Amir had been dancing easily with Joanna who had availed herself to the free salsa lessons an hour earlier before the crowd had suddenly taken note of Megan and Alex. When he and Joanna had stopped to see what had attracted everyone's attention, Amir had been stunned to see Megan and froze. He thought she'd never looked more beautiful or exciting. As he stood staring, Joanna saw Megan and realized that Amir was seeing her at her best, for just as she herself was at her best when she sang, it was obvious that Megan was at her best when she danced, and she was now giving free expression to her joy.

Joanna could see the dark intensity of his stare as Amir watched the couple dancing, and she wondered numbly if her days with him were numbered. She felt a familiar emptiness in her heart, as though the world had suddenly become a much colder, harsher place in spite of being surrounded by so many happy people at the festival. When the couple's dance had ended and the other couples had resumed dancing, Amir had pulled her away from the dance floor and they didn't dance again that day.

Christine had been thrilled to see her best friend and new boyfriend dancing, and she could tell that Erik had enjoyed it as well. The music was definitely captivating, and it wasn't long before he took her hand and said, "Let's dance," and they were soon dancing smoothly together to the exotic Latin rhythms. Christine loved dancing with Erik, and thought she'd never considered herself an exceptional dancer, she'd never felt as comfortable dancing with anyone else. As she watched him, she was again struck by his uncommon grace and incomparable allure, and wondered if he was even aware of how incredibly sensual he must appear to anyone else watching. As the music picked up and their dancing became more heated, she began to notice both men and women look over at Erik with admiring glances, and Christine could feel herself warming as she found herself being drawn by his seductive movements.

Erik enjoyed dancing, but never more than when he was with Christine. He recalled her reaction to him the first time they had danced at the Paladin Club and how she had succumbed to his charms by means of his dancing, and he could tell that she was even now succumbing to him in the same manner as she stared at the sensuous movement of his hips. His eyes never left her, and he could see her barely concealed desire smoldering beneath lightly flushed cheeks. _You could never lie to me, Christine._

When the music ended, a slower piece began, no doubt to allow everyone a chance to catch their breath, and Erik gently took her in his arms as they began swaying to the music. Christine closed her eyes as she rested her cheek against his shoulder. _I can smell his cologne…I feel like I'm home again. _She was happy being here with Erik, and she was certain that if she just let herself go, she would be floating…

* * *

Amir was scrutinizing the various jars of salsas for sale in a food booth when Joanna excused herself to visit the ladies room. As she walked away, Amir looked around him and saw Megan and her dance partner in the next tent, and again felt the unfamiliar stab of jealousy as he saw them holding hands and standing close together. He wanted to know who this young pup was and approached them. 

"Hello, Megan," he said softly as he stood next to her.

Megan turned and seemed less than glad to see him, but he couldn't blame her. "Hello, Amir," she said guardedly. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. How've you been?"

"I've been okay. You remember Alex?" she asked as she turned to him now. "From the restaurant?"

As he looked up into Alex's handsome face, it suddenly clicked. "Alex? Yes, of course. You dance well," he said awkwardly as he extended his hand.

Alex smiled and shook his hand firmly. "Thank you," he said with a smile.

"Well, I just wanted to come by and say hello. I'd better get back. Good to see you again. Bye." He smiled and shook Alex's hand again as he took his leave.

"That was interesting," Megan murmured almost to herself. _Why would he bother to come and say hello if he's with Joanna? _

Alex watched as Amir disappeared into the crowd. _So now it begins…_


	60. Trinities

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 60

Trinities

_Saturday _

Roan was numb as he drove through evening traffic to Christine's. When he'd seen her this afternoon hugging Erik at the Salsa Festival, he'd been stunned, and then deeply wounded. It didn't matter that he'd been with Hillary…he felt betrayed. He needed to talk to her as soon as possible. He felt strange as he parked the car and walked up the stairs to her apartment, almost as though he were out of body. Even as he knocked on her door now, he had no idea what he was going to say.

When Christine answered the door, she didn't seem surprised to see him, but he could tell that she was uncomfortable. She invited him in and asked if he'd like something to drink. He said he would have whatever she had, so she went to the kitchen to put on a kettle to make some tea, and when she returned to the living room, she seated herself on the far end of the couch. When she didn't say anything, Roan realized it would be up to him.

The only thing he could think of to say was, "How long have you been seeing Erik?" Although Christine seemed outwardly calm, he could tell that she was nervous.

"I don't think that's relevant," she said softly.

_So that's how we're going to play it, is it? _he thought. "Have you slept with him?"

"No," she said, harder than she meant to. "Have you slept with Hillary?"

"No. You're the only one I want, Christine."

"Then why were you with Hillary?"

"Christine, we haven't been intimate for almost three weeks, and you're supposed to be my girlfriend! What the hell was I supposed to do?" he cried.

"So you're saying that you want to sleep with her?" she challenged angrily.

"No! I want to sleep with _you! _I need you, Christine, but you haven't wanted to be with me."

At this point, the tea kettle began to whistle and Christine excused herself to go to the kitchen. When she returned, she brought a tray with two mugs of tea and some sugar, cream, and honey. In an attempt to calm down, Roan prepared his tea with cream and sugar and took a sip.

"Christine, I love you, and I want us to be together like before. I've been going crazy these last few weeks without you."

Christine sipped her tea and looked at him. "Is this just about sleeping together? Is that all you think this is about?"

Roan looked exasperated. "No, of course not! But we used to sleep together because we enjoyed each other, and now we don't any more. Can you tell me why?"

Yes, she knew why, and she was glad it didn't have to do with Erik. "Roan, I've been thinking about this a lot. We've been together for three months and my feelings haven't really changed, and I don't think they're going to. I don't want to do this any more."

He was stunned, and it felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his heart. He'd never been rejected before, and now, by the only woman he'd ever loved. He knew it wasn't because of him… "It's because of Erik, isn't it?" he asked heatedly.

"No, it had nothing to do with him! I wanted to be with you, I even tried to change, but my feelings never did. It just wasn't meant to be, Roan. I'm sorry."

He was angry and numb, and he felt strange. He couldn't stand this. He needed to leave, to get out of there. He stood. "I have to go. Thanks for the tea. I'm sorry it couldn't have been different," and he walked to the door.

"Wait." Christine disappeared into her bedroom and then returned, holding his ring. "I want to give this back to you."

Roan looked at it, remembering how he had spent weeks in search of the perfect ring for her, getting it sized… "No, keep it. I got it for you."

"No, please take it, I can't keep it." And she pressed it on him.

He took it from her and looked at it before he placed it into his pocket. "Goodbye, Christine," he whispered.

"Goodbye, Roan."

He made his way quickly down the stairs and heard the door close softly behind him.

* * *

Erik was making his way down to the parking garage and smiling as he thought back on the day. It had been very good. He'd spent quality time with Christine at the Salsa Festival and was pleased with the jewelry he had purchased for her. She apparently loved it as well for she'd spontaneously kissed him, and that had been wonderful. 

He was going to drive over to Fong's Chinese Restaurant to pick up some take-out and was walking over to his car when he suddenly heard running footsteps coming up behind him.

Turning quickly, he grabbed his attacker and used his momentum to force him to land roughly on the floor of the garage several feet away. He was surprised when he saw who it was. "Richards! What the hell are you doing!"

Roan picked himself up and approached warily. He looked disheveled and as though he'd been crying. "_You_…it's all _your_ fault! She couldn't love me because it was always _YOU!"_ He lunged again and Erik grabbed him from behind.

"Richards, you're drunk! Go home and sleep it off!" He tried to reason with him, but Roan continued to struggle in his grasp.

"No! I gave her everything! I loved her! I'm gonna make you pay…!"

"I don't want to hurt you, Richards," he said calmly, "but you give me no choice if you don't stop."

"Just tell me why…" he forced out as he struggled against Erik's arms.

"Why what?"

"You knew I intercepted your letters… that it was me on the computer…and that I lied on the phone. Why didn't you ever tell her?"

Erik felt pity for him then. "Because," he said softly, "I never wanted to use you to get to her."

With an mighty roar, Roan struggled viciously to break free so he could hurt this man who would steal what was rightfully his.

In a few moments, there was a loud crack, and then a piercing scream…

_

* * *

Tuesday _

Weekday afternoons seemed to be the best time to go grocery shopping if one wanted to avoid the after-work crowd who did most of their shopping either in the evenings or on weekends. Megan enjoyed being able to walk in and walk out with her few items and not have to waste time in line and was enjoying her afternoon. She planned to make her special beef stew tonight and just needed a pound of stew meat, potatoes, celery, and a loaf of French bread. She was about to go to the checkout when she decided to walk by the cosmetics aisle and see what new products were out. So intent was she on seeing the brightly colored packaging for new lipsticks and make-ups that she almost ran into another customer who was also looking at make-up.

"Oh, I'm sorry…!" Megan started with a laugh, until she saw who she'd almost collided with.

Joanna's easy smile fell when she saw Megan, and she took a step back. "That's all right, no harm done," she said softly, and she turned back to look at the cosmetics.

Shocked, Megan looked at her momentarily before turning her attention to the cosmetics. It seemed that neither of them wanted to appear intimidated by the other. Megan's insides were in turmoil. Normally kind and compassionate, she felt strongly tempted to grab Joanna and slap her silly, yet this violated everything she believed in. But she couldn't let this opportunity slip away…

Before she knew what she was doing, she heard herself say, "You know, what you did was cruel and unnecessary."

Joanna looked over at her. "Excuse me?"

"You knew Amir was my boyfriend, but you wouldn't leave him alone. You kept going after him until he couldn't resist any more."

Joanna faced her now, but not in anger. "I'm sure it must seem that way to you, but if he didn't want to leave you, he wouldn't have. Maybe your relationship with him wasn't as strong as you thought it was."

Megan felt her heart breaking all over again. "You're wrong," she whispered. "He loved me, and I loved him. Do you believe in karma? I hope you get everything that's coming to you, because I hate you."

Before Joanna could say anything, Megan turned and quickly walked to the checkout, paying for her items and then walking hurriedly to her car. When she'd closed her door, she broke down and cried.

* * *

Erik was seated at the piano when Amir came into the studio. He walked over to the fridge and looked inside, pulling out a bottle of Pellegrino sparkling water. 

"I saw Roan this morning with his arm in a cast. When I asked him what happened, he said to ask you. Care to enlighten me?"

Erik looked up. "I broke it. It seems he wanted to teach me a lesson."

"Christine?"

"They apparently broke up and he blamed me. It was a clean break. He should be back to normal in about six to eight weeks."

Amir sighed. "I can actually remember a time when things were peaceful around here. What happened?"

Erik smiled crookedly. "Women, what else?"

Amir grinned and sipped his water.

"How are things going with Joanna?"

"You should know. It's wonderful."

"But…?"

Amir looked at him. "I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it. Tell me, mon ami."

Amir sighed deeply and threw up his hands. "I don't know what it is. She's wonderful, perfect. Maybe too perfect."

"Explain."

"I'm not sure I can. I saw Megan at the Salsa Festival with Alex."

"Alex? From the restaurant? I thought he was gay."

"No, he's not gay, maybe he's bi. But anyways, I saw them last week in a parking lot behind a restaurant, and he was kissing her. I wanted to kill him."

Erik looked at him sympathetically as his friend paced.

"I can't stop thinking about her," he murmured, and then he stopped pacing and faced him. "I think I may have made a horrible mistake."

Erik covered the piano keys and walked over to the sliding screen door to the patio as Amir followed him outside. "I know how you feel, my friend. I know exactly."

"What can I do?" He looked out towards the ocean.

"Be honest with yourself, and then be honest with her."

_

* * *

Wednesday evening _

Megan didn't often get on the computer because she preferred the telephone and voice mail to keep in touch, but out of necessity, she tried to remember to access her email at least once a week just in case. That was what she was doing when an instant message window popped up, which almost never happened.

AK1000: Good evening, Megan.

LeDancr: Amir? What's up?

AK1000: I wanted to apologize.

LeDancr: For what?

AK1000: For hurting you. I never wanted this to happen.

Megan just looked at her screen, disbelieving. What was he playing at?

AK1000: Megan, please forgive me.

She wasn't sure what to say, and so didn't say anything.

AK1000: Megan?

LeDancr: There's nothing to forgive. You did what you had to do. It's over now, so let's just forget it.

AK1000: I can't forget it.

LeDancr: Have you grown disenchanted with Joanna?

AK1000: I suppose I deserved that. I thought we could get together to talk.

LeDancr: About what? I'm with Alex now, and I'm happy. There's nothing we need to talk about.

AK1000: But there is. Please, Megan.

LeDancr: I'm sorry. Goodnight.

Megan signed off. Amir couldn't believe it. _What have I done?_

_

* * *

Thursday, noon _

"I ran into Joanna at the store the other day."

Christine looked up. "What happened?"

Megan shrugged. "Nothing, I just told her I hated her and that I hoped she got what's coming to her. And Amir IM'd me last night."

Christine was about to take a bite of her salad when she stopped halfway. "You're kidding. What did he want?"

"He wanted to talk."

"And what did you say?"

"I said no. I mean, what is there to talk about? I'm happy with Alex now and that's that."

"Have you slept with him yet?"

"No, of course not…it's only been a couple of weeks!"

"Just asking. So everything's working out with Alex so far?"

"Yes, everything's been fine. We talk a lot on the phone and we visit when we can. I really like him, he makes me laugh."

"That's nice to hear. How do you feel about Amir now days?"

Megan sipped her iced tea. "I try not to think about it. He's with Joanna now and that's all that matters."

"Why do you suppose he wanted to talk to you?"

Megan stabbed her tomato. "To absolve his guilt over being such a fucking asshole, of course."

Christine paused. "Are we still angry?"

"No, I don't think about it."

"How do you know he just wants to absolve his guilt?"

"Because he said so. He said he wanted to apologize for hurting me. He says 'he never intended this to happen.'"

"But what if he wants to get back with you?"

"It wouldn't matter. I used to wonder why he never said the words, why he never told me he loved me, but I finally figured it out. It was because he knew he could never be faithful to any one woman. Why should we ever get back together again if it's not in him to be faithful? I don't think Alex would ever have that problem."

Christine sensed gaping holes in this argument. "But how do you know? You know he's bi. If you guys got together, how do you know that he's never going to want to be with another man again?"

Actually, this had never occurred to her, but as she ate her salad, Megan realized that she needed to find out.

_

* * *

Friday evening _

Megan had invited Alex over to her apartment for dinner and he'd been very impressed by her culinary skills. She had prepared rock Cornish game hens, steamed vegetables, wild rice, and then served dessert of strawberries and cream, and he had brought over a bottle of his restaurant's white zinfandel.

They were very relaxed as they dined on their dessert and Alex enjoyed the peaceful ambiance of the soft music and Megan's company. "You're a wonderful cook," he smiled as he helped himself to some strawberries and cream. "You'll have to come over to my place for dinner soon."

"I'd love to," Megan smiled as she sipped her wine. Alex swirled a strawberry in cream and skewered it on a fork, holding it up to her lips to take a bite. As Megan took a bite of the strawberry, crunching the seeds, she decided to get some answers she needed if they were going to move forward. She hoped Alex would understand, and she felt that he would.

Taking a deep breath, she finally asked, "Alex, can you explain to me about bisexuality? I want to understand."

He gazed at her gently as he bit into a strawberry. "What would you like to know?"

Megan seemed to have a hard time putting her thoughts into words since she actually had many questions, but after a few awkward starts, she finally stated," I guess what I'm trying to say is that, for purposes of our relationship, will you be dating men while we're dating?" She knew she was blushing to high heaven, but she couldn't help it. She was glad when Alex smiled at her kindly because she didn't think she could go on if she continued making a fool of herself.

"I won't be dating anyone else while we're dating," he said reassuringly. "What else would you like to know?" he smiled.

Megan seemed surprised when he tossed the ball back into her court. "Oh, um, how do you feel about monogamy?"

"I'm in favor of it. I'd like to us have a long-term monogamous relationship if possible."

Megan was surprised and pleased by his straightforwardness. "Do you ever want to get married and have a family?"

"Yes, definitely."

And here was the question she really wanted to know. "If you got married, could you be faithful to your wife for the rest of your life? I mean, would you be okay with never having sex with another man again?"

"When I get married, I intend to be faithful to my wife for as long as we're together. That means I would never have sex outside of our marriage with either another man or a woman."

There, that was what she needed to hear, and now she was smiling non-stop.

Alex noticed and wondered about it. "Are you all right?"

Still smiling, Megan chuckled. "Yes, would you like some more strawberries?"

Looking at her curiously, he replied, "No thank you. Did you want to know anything else?"

_Sure, why not._ "When was the last time you had sex with a man?"

"A year ago."

"Have you had anal sex with a man?"

"Just once, but I didn't like it."

"So what do you usually do with men?"

"Oral sex."

"Why do you like women better?"

"Some people like tacos with soft shells, others like tacos with crispy shells. It's just a matter of preference."

"Do you practice safe sex?"

"Always."

When Megan had exhausted her questions, they sat across the table from one another smiling, the bowl of strawberries between them. Megan was about to rise and take the bowl to the kitchen when Alex took her hand and stopped her.

"You've asked me questions for the last fifteen minutes. Now I'd like to ask you one."

Megan sat back down, not certain if she was ready for the type of question he would most likely ask.

Still holding her hand, he asked gently, "When do I get to hold you?"

Smiling, relieved, she replied, "When I put these strawberries away."

Alex followed her into the kitchen and helped her put up the food, rinse the dishes, and then load the dishwasher before they happily retired to the living room.

The music was still playing softly in the background when they settled comfortably on the couch. As they talked quietly, Alex played gently with a lock of her hair as Megan sat facing him, her hand on his thigh. It was comfortable and serene, but even as she looked into his eyes, Megan was reminded of evenings spent with Amir in this very way. And at the time, she thought that _he_ had been the most handsome, most wonderful man in the world. Now, could she ever think of Alex in that way?

"Megan?"

"Hm?" She looked at him, and before she knew it, he was kissing her tenderly, and she kissed him back. It was nice, very nice, and as he continued to kiss her, she kept thinking _he's so gentle…_and indeed he was. And she wondered _will we make love tonight? _But instead, he held her in his arms and they talked, about everything, late into the night...


	61. At Last

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 61

At Last

_Friday 7:00 p.m._

EDupont: Good evening, Christine.

AriaMaven: Good evening, Erik.

EDupont: I take it you and Mr. Richards are no longer a couple?

AriaMaven: That's right. How did you know?

EDupont: Lucky guess. May I take you to dinner tomorrow evening?

AriaMaven: I'd love it.

EDupont: I'll pick you up at eight. Dress formally.

AriaMaven: I look forward to it. Good night, Erik.

EDupont: Good night, Christine.

_

* * *

Friday 10:15 p.m. _

The evening performance had just concluded and Amir was putting away the last of his paperwork. The door suddenly opened and Joanna came into his office, still in costume. She looked a little nervous as she approached his desk, but she'd actually been worried sick ever since the Salsa Festival owing to the fact that he hadn't called her in the two days since.

"Joanna, I was just about to leave," Amir said as he reached for his jacket.

She ignored his words and approached quickly, kissing him deeply, embracing him and not wanting to let go.

Amir wondered if something was wrong. "Joanna, what is it?"

"Amir," she said brokenly, "I'm afraid I'm losing you."

Amir held her and stroked her hair. "Joanna, don't be afraid. Everything will work out, one way or the other," he whispered.

"Please, can I come home with you?" she pleaded in a small voice. "I really need to be with you tonight."

"Joanna, I don't know if that would be a good idea…"

"_Please!" _She held onto him tightly_. "I need you tonight!"_ Amir thought she sounded a bit hysterical, so he just held her.

"All right," he conceded. "I'll meet you at home. I'm leaving right now."

"Thank you." She relaxed then and released him. "I'll see you in a few minutes," and she left his office.

Amir took a deep breath. He recalled a time not long ago when he would have moved heaven and earth to make love to her, but now, he no longer cared. He still wanted her to succeed as a singer, but, perhaps the time had come for her to stand on her own two feet…

* * *

He arrived home within fifteen minutes, and Joanna arrived a half hour later, changed into street clothes and her stage make-up removed. She still seemed somewhat agitated, so he poured her a glass of white wine so she could relax by the fire. He called for take-out from a late night Chinese restaurant that delivered, and they were soon having dinner with chopsticks. 

Amir recalled so many evenings when he and Joanna had enjoyed one another's company, sometimes spending an entire evening in the nude and then making incredible love into the night. It had been a lot of fun, and then Joanna would go home the following morning. Now she was here of her own accord, free for the taking…beautiful, highly sexual, and willing…but he no longer wanted it. Of course, he could still have sex with her as well as he could have sex with anyone, but she'd be no more than a tool, a receptacle. She wasn't what he _needed… _

He knew what he needed.

After dinner, they retired to the living room. Amir started his laptop to see if Megan was online, but she wasn't. He rarely ever saw her online, and he recalled how upset she would get when he would IM with Joanna. The memory pained him now. _What a fool I've been_ he thought. _All this time…I never saw what I had in the palm of my hand…the world…_

As it got later, it became apparent that Joanna planned on spending the night. When he put up his laptop, Joanna approached him and kissed him. He could tell she was feeling amorous, and her hands wandered over him. Amir felt himself respond, and when she felt the swell of his manhood between her legs, she pressed herself closer so that her pelvis rubbed against him, making him harder.

Amir's breathing was becoming ragged and he kissed her back roughly. He couldn't resist her when she was like this. He held her close and felt the smooth expanse of her back under her top. She felt so good. _This is just sex_ he thought. _This isn't love. This isn't what love is about…_

His hands went to her front and he pulled her top and bra aside so he could suckle her breasts. They were always so warm and wonderful… She undid his belt and unzipped his trousers… She had hold of him now and he was breathing shallowly as he lowered her to the floor. He could feel the heat from the fireplace even as he pulled off her pants and his. He felt as if he were in a daze as he took hold of himself and thrust himself into her. _God she feels so good. Yes…yes! _

Joanna wrapped her legs around him and gasped as he pumped into her, while Amir groaned from the pleasure of it. _She's so damn hot..._

He pumped harder…god, he was about to come... He ejaculated into her, a powerful, copious stream, and he groaned as he ground her roughly into the carpet. It felt like it went on forever…

When he was finished, he supported himself on his elbows above her and breathed deeply. He was exhausted, but it was late. He pulled out of her and stood, getting dressed again.

"Going somewhere?" Joanna asked wearily as she stood.

"Yes, I'm just going to the liquor store. Why don't you go to bed, I'll be back shortly." He grabbed his keys and his jacket and went out the door as Joanna retired to the bedroom.

Amir rode the elevator down to the parking garage and walked quickly to his car. He beeped it open and then headed north through town. He'd had to get out of there. He didn't know what he was doing now, but he just knew he had to get away. He opened his window so he could clear his mind and feel the cold air on his face. He was going crazy.

When he arrived at his destination, he parked on the street, across from Megan's apartment building. Her bedroom light was still on, indicating she was still awake. As he looked up at her window, he knew. Yes, he knew what he'd probably always known and had refused to believe… _Yes, you were so smart, so wise…FOOL! Now you've lost EVERYTHING! _

He closed his eyes and rubbed a hand over his face. He wanted to go up and talk to her right now, but he couldn't. He'd just made love to Joanna and the smell of sex was all over him.

But he couldn't leave, not yet. So he sat there, outside her apartment for another hour until her light went out, and then he knew she'd gone to bed.

He pulled away from the curb and drove back home. When he walked into his apartment, he saw that the fireplace was out, but there was still a light on for him in the living room. He'd been gone for about an hour, but when he looked in his bedroom, he saw that Joanna was sound asleep. He sighed and closed the door and walked over to the guest bedroom, getting undressed as he went, but then decided to take a shower before going to bed. He walked down the hallway to the second bathroom and turned on the shower. He caught his reflection in the mirror as he turned, but he didn't want to look and quickly stepped into the shower.

_What am I going to do? _he thought as he stood under the hot water. _What can I do... _

_

* * *

Saturday morning _

Christine _loved_ sleeping in. It was the one thing she looked forward to each weekend, but someone was knocking on her door now. She looked at the clock and saw that it was 9:00. Dragging herself out of bed, she threw on a robe and went to look out the peep hole. It was a delivery man.

"Who is it?" she called.

"Courier service," came the reply.

When she opened the door, the delivery man held up a large, beautifully gift-wrapped arrangement. She signed for it and then carried it into the living room, setting it on the coffee table. She plucked the envelope from the pick and opened the card.

_Happy Birthday, Mon Amour_

_Eternally,_

_Erik_

Surprised, she wondered _How did he know this was my birthday? _Smiling, she unwrapped the colorful cellophane from the arrangement and let out a small cry when she saw what it was. Similar to a flower arrangement, chocolate-dipped strawberries, pineapple daisies, and ready-to-eat pieces of melon and berries were gorgeously arranged in a tower. Christine plucked a pineapple daisy and ate it, and closed her eyes to savor its juiciness. She retrieved her laptop to IM Erik to thank him, but he wasn't online, so she happily emailed her thanks.

* * *

"Wow, now _that's_ what I call a birthday present!" Megan helped herself to a chocolate-dipped strawberry and moaned rapturously. "Oh, my god…." 

Christine chuckled at her friend's obvious pleasure. "You have to help me eat this because it's really too much for one person."

"I'm so glad you called me, I wouldn't have missed this for anything," Megan grinned as she chewed the strawberry seeds. "Promise me you'll keep him this time."

"And what about Alex? Do you think he's a keeper, too?" Christine picked up a honeydew slice and took a bite.

Megan smiled. "I don't know yet…maybe. I hope so. He's just so…_nice."_

"Nice?" Christine looked at her curiously. "Now there's something you don't hear every day, Chauncy."

Megan giggled. "I had him over for dinner last night and thought he might try to do something, but he didn't. We just talked, all night long. It was…nice," she smiled.

"Did you want him to do something?" Christine asked slyly.

Megan pursed her lips. "Well, I wouldn't have minded…I mean, you gotta admit, he's a heck of a good looking guy! But now I guess I've got something to look forward to."

Christine looked at her seriously. "So does this mean Amir's out of the picture even if he did want to get back with you?"

"He doesn't want to get back with me."

"But what if he did?"

"He doesn't."

"Megan…"

Megan looked down and didn't speak, and then rose and walked over to the window. She didn't turn, but merely shook her head. "He doesn't want me," she said softly. "He wants to fuck Miss Vienna Perfect. He wants to fuck whomever he wants."

"I never thought Erik would ever want _me_ again," Christine said softly, "but we've been given a second chance. I know your situation is different, but all I'm saying is, never say never."

_

* * *

Saturday 11:00 a.m. _

Roan was driving downtown to the auto parts store, carefully weaving his way through traffic with one arm. The week had been hell, but he thanked his lucky stars yet again that Erik had broken his left arm and not his right. The doctor said that he'd take the cast off in seven weeks.

He thought back again to the night he'd tried to jump Erik and beat him to a pulp for taking Christine from him. He hadn't cared about his job at that point…he'd just wanted to give vent to his anger and rage. He recalled how quickly Erik had subdued him, and broken his arm so easily…almost as though he'd done it many times before. He wondered about Erik's past then. _Who was he before he became the resident composer? What did he do? _But he brushed these thoughts aside as he drove into the driveway of the store and parked. One of his tail lights had gone out, so he needed to purchase a bulb to replace it.

Walking down the aisle, he enjoyed looking at gadgets for his car. After he found the bulb, he also picked up a plastic sleeve for his car registration form as well as a decorative air freshener.

"Roan, is that you, man?"

Roan turned towards the unfamiliar voice and looked into the face of someone he hadn't seen since college. "Don? What've you been up to, guy?" he smiled, and they shook hands warmly.

"Nothing much, working at Price-Waterhouse," he grinned.

"Really?" Roan was impressed. They were one of the largest accounting firms in the country. "Accounting or investment?"

Don chuckled. "Can you really imagine me in accounting? Investment, of course! And what about you? What've you been up to?"

"I'm still interning at the Phil, and then I'm going to join my dad's company."

"That's sweet, man, but it must be rough, huh?" he asked as he looked at Roan's cast.

"Tell me about it. One of our composers broke it…a real psycho."

"Really? I know someone who works there. What's his name?"

"Erik Dupont. Do you know him?"

Don raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, actually I do. He's one of my customers."

Roan was surprised. "You're kidding. You're still into that?" When Roan was in school, he'd become acquainted with Don through mutual friends, and it turned out that Don was very well know around campus as a person who could obtain drugs from a variety of sources. He would have thought Don would have stopped such dangerous practices once he'd graduated, but he was apparently still in business.

"It's actually not a bad way to make money if you're careful," he said easily.

"How do you know Erik Dupont?" Roan couldn't imagine Erik Dupont taking drugs.

"I've known him for years, even when we were in school. He's one of my best customers. He doesn't really buy a lot, but he pays well to keep me quiet."

"So what does he buy?"

"Just morphine. He doesn't take anything stronger, and it must last him awhile because I don't see him too often…only when he needs more."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"Maybe a couple months ago. You won't tell him we talked, right? My customers depend on me keeping quiet."

Roan smiled. "Don't worry, man. Your secret is safe with me."

_

* * *

Saturday, Noon _

"I'll have your club sandwich and a side of cole slaw," Alex ordered.

"Make that two, please." Adrian handed his menu back to the waitress.

It was their day off, but they'd decided to meet for lunch at the California Grill uptown. It was a busy day, but they liked sitting at the counter there.

"How's it going with Megan?" Adrian asked casually.

"Fine, everything's fine. We have a good time together. I hear Christine broke up with her boyfriend."

Adrian stared at him. "You're kidding. _Santa Maria!" _

Alex grinned as Adrian crossed himself. "Um, but I think I should tell you that she might be getting back with an old boyfriend."

Adrian looked as though Alex had just popped his favorite bubble. _"Oh man_, why'd you even bother to tell me then!"

"I just thought you might like to know," he said innocently.

"Well don't tell me unless I can do something about it!" he said, upset. When he calmed down somewhat, he said, "I ran into somebody yesterday."

Alex looked at him over his glass. When he didn't say anything more, he asked, "Well, are you going to tell me or just keep it to yourself?"

"I ran into Juan."

Alex froze.

"He asked about you."

Alex looked away. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I told him you had a girlfriend."

The waitress brought their plates then. "Look, I don't care. Let's just eat."

Adrian thought that Alex looked as though he were trying to remain calm, but failing.

_

* * *

Saturday evening _

It was just 6:00, but Amir had been thinking about it ever since last week when he'd tried to IM Megan and she had refused to speak to him. He'd never had to apologize or answer to anyone, least of all a woman, but Megan had turned his understanding of the world upside down. It wasn't that he didn't respect women, but he had been brought up with the understanding that women had their place, and their primary purpose was to ensure the happiness and well-being of their men. It was understood that a man had needs, and it was the woman's obligation to make sure her husband had all of his needs met in order to be happy and free to raise his family, and if that meant having a mistress, then that was the way of things. Of course, Amir never gave thought to a mistress since he'd never been married, but it'd never been a problem before for him to have as many lovers as he wished. And if any of the women found out or had a problem with it, he wasn't averse to moving on and finding another. At least that was how it had been, until Megan. She had changed everything, much like his mother had for his father.

He and his father had been close before he and Erik had had to escape to the United States. His father had occasionally spoken to him about women and about how he had been raised with the prevailing view, but that his wife had changed all that. Amir had always been amused by his father's recollections of how his mother had changed him, but never thought that he would find a woman who could compare, and that had been true until Megan. As he pulled up to her apartment building, Amir was unsure as to what he wanted to say to her, but he knew he had to try. He couldn't give up, or he would be cursed to live out his life in regret.

He was uncharacteristically nervous as he went up the stairs and knocked on her door. When there was no answer, he knocked again. He leaned his head into the door but everything was quiet, and he realized that she was probably out with Alex. _Did you really think she'd be sitting home alone on a Saturday night when she could be out with him? Fool!_

Amir sighed and went back down to his car. As surprising as it was to him, he was alone tonight. Of course, he didn't have to be, but he wanted Megan…only Megan.

_

* * *

Saturday 8:00 p.m. _

When Christine opened her door, it was to the incredibly elegant picture that Erik presented. With his black custom-tailored suit, white silk dress shirt, white silk tie with diamond and gold tie tack and his white mask, he looked like a fantasy figure out of Vogue magazine. He took her breath away.

Erik was certain he had never seen Christine more beautiful than she was at this moment. Her black gown was a beautiful free-flowing vision and appeared to float along her neckline and shoulders. Erik wondered how it stayed up. Part of her hair was pinned in attractive curls with jeweled pins and wispy tendrils, and the rest trailed down her back. "You look stunning, my love," he murmured, and he took her hand and kissed it gently. "Shall we go?"

Christine retrieved her coat and evening bag and they made their way downstairs to the Maybach. She felt nervous and giddy, realizing that this was their second first date, and she was excited. As they drove off, she looked over at Erik and remembered how it used to be. She couldn't believe she was actually here with him again. She thought she'd lost him forever, but providence had granted them a second chance, and she repeated within the deepest part of her heart _Thank you, God, thank you…_

As he drove, Erik looked over at Christine as well and smiled as he felt his heart bubble with joy. She was here with him at long last, with_ him! _He swore in his heart that nothing in heaven or hell would come between them this time. She was his, she was his…and she was his life.

They continued driving north toward the Bay area of the city until they reached the water. Christine rarely visited this part of town and so was unfamiliar with the area, but she saw that they had arrived at a very exclusive restaurant called _Casablanca. _

Christine was impressed. She'd heard and read about it, but she'd never been here, and approaching it now, she could see that it did indeed live up to its reputation. Uniformed valets were parking vehicles when they arrived, and when their car doors were opened for them, Christine alighted and took Erik's arm. They entered through an enormous custom-carved wooden door and approached the hostess' station. Looking around at their posh surroundings, Christine loved that despite its modern décor, everything was suggestive of northern Africa and its environs.

"Good evening, Mr. Dupont. How nice to see you again," the beautiful hostess smiled pleasantly. "Your table is ready, please follow me."

Christine couldn't get over how well known Erik was at the most exclusive venues. As they followed their hostess, they passed the most opulent and well-stocked bar that Christine had ever seen. Not only was it large and decorated in a north African motif, but it was manned by bartenders who were clearly highly trained professionals. Christine looked at Erik as they passed the bar and he smiled at her apparent awe.

Their hostess led them along a beautifully paved walkway that was lined with queen palms and other plants reminiscent of a desert oasis, and outdoor tables under the trees were filled with diners warmed by outdoor heaters. Christine wondered if they would be seated at one of these tables when they approached a bank of elegant tents fronting the bay. Their hostess stopped before one of the tents and gracefully bade them enter through the tent flaps that were tied back.

When they entered the tent, Christine was amazed at the simple elegance and realized again what wonderful accommodations were afforded the rich. Although sparsely furnished, everything was beautiful, and an unobtrusive space heater was provided for their comfort. Their dinner table was covered with a fine white linen tablecloth and beautifully set with flowers, candles, china, crystal, and silver. Although Christine knew she would always dine at the finest restaurants when she was with Erik, she didn't think she would ever get used to the opulence or the incredible dishes that were served at such places. For one who was used to either cooking for herself, dining at neighborhood restaurants or fast food, she wondered if Erik was even aware of just how much she appreciated being able to enjoy a dining experience such as this.

Erik helped her remove her coat and held her chair out for her, and once they were comfortably seated, he looked across the table at Christine and smiled easily. He was glad she was pleased with their surroundings and thankful that they could be together at last. "Happy birthday, cheri," he smiled.

"Thank you," she smiled happily. "Everything is so incredible, I never knew places like this existed." Their hostess closed the tent flaps so they would have privacy from the other diners, but the tent flaps on the opposite side were open to the bay and they could see the water just outside their tent as well as the boats that were in the bay and in the marina. Besides the soft candles on their table, there were also small hanging lights above them to cast a romantic glow.

The view was wonderful, but it could just as well have been a blank wall, for they looked only at one another as they held hands across the table and smiled a secret smile. Christine couldn't remember when she'd been so happy, and Erik was of the same mind. He was here with Christine, it was just the two of them…at last.

* * *

When their waiter appeared, he opened a bottle of champagne, Dom Perignon, and poured in elegant crystal flutes. He then served plates of elegantly prepared appetizers and departed. Before they sampled their fare, Erik lifted his glass in a toast and said simply, "To you, my love. Happy birthday." They clinked glasses gently and then drank, and Christine smiled as the bubbles tickled her nose. When they sampled their appetizers, Christine thought it was not only beautiful to look at, but delicious as well. It was an interesting mix of flavors, and surprisingly refreshing. 

When their waiter returned a few minutes later to serve the main course, he brought in a number of tantalizing and attractively prepared entrees, and Christine again found herself impressed with the wonderful dishes and new flavors. When they finally arrived at dessert, it was an intensely fruit-flavored French sorbet that was to die for. Christine was certain she would never forget this meal.

When they finished eating, they brought their chairs together to face the water and sat close together comfortably. Erik placed his arm around her, and Christine rested easily against his shoulder, watching the water. It was a perfect evening. Occasionally, Christine would notice a small disturbance in the water and asked about this when it had happened several times. Erik smiled and explained that it was fish feeding on bugs that would land on the water. She thought this was funny and watched as it happened several more times.

When they finally took their leave, Christine turned around one last time to remember their tent and the marina, the outdoor tables and the twinkling lights. And as they walked through the lobby again and past the exotic bar, she knew she would never forget tonight.

It was around 11:00 when they returned to her apartment building. They made their way up the stairs, and as Christine unlocked her door, she could hear Pinecone on the other side, anticipating her return.

"Thank you for tonight, I had a wonderful time," Christine smiled happily. She actually thought it had been an incredible evening, and she looked into his eyes, appreciating everything that he was to her, and always had been.

"You're welcome, cheri," he said softly.

It seemed as though everything had stopped, and they were suspended in time, until...

...his lips were on hers…


	62. The Letter

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith, Musicallover, and Archeology101.

Chapter 62

The Letter

_Sunday morning_

Amir rarely slept in late, but today was the exception as he laid in bed until nine, a narrow shaft of light slowly making its way across his face, awakening him. He thought about Joanna having spent Friday night, and then how he'd left her to go to Megan's, if only to sit outside, watching the light in her window until it finally went out. _Pathetic_.

He wasn't accustomed to losing, especially when it came to something so close to his heart. He could also understand why Joanna was afraid of losing him. She really didn't have anyone else after all. If only she could find someone else.

He thought of Megan constantly and about what he could do to create even the slightest in-road into her heart. The obvious answer had actually come to him in a dream…he would call her on the phone. Megan had always enjoyed talking on the phone with him, and though their phone conversations were usually brief, she used to enjoy their playful banter. He would call her later this morning, and if he was lucky, perhaps she would agree to meet with him later today. But if she didn't…he didn't even want to consider the possibility.

* * *

Megan had just returned from doing her laundry and was about to begin vacuuming. She was feeling especially energetic this morning, and she was sure it had to do with Alex. Tomorrow, he was taking her to the Courthouse so he could show her where he worked, and afterwards, she was going to take him over to the Conservatory so he could sit in on one of her dance classes before getting together for lunch. He wanted very much to see her dance because he said he couldn't wait two months for the year-end production. She was looking forward to it because it would give her more insight into this man whom she was falling for. 

Her phone rang just then, startling her out of her reverie, and she picked it up before it could ring again.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Megan? It's Amir."

She hesitated in her surprise. "Amir? Why are you calling me?"

"I needed to talk to you…about something important. Please." He prayed she wouldn't hang up on him.

Megan really wasn't of a mind to play games, and there was no reason she could think of as to why they needed to talk about anything. "Why do you need to talk to me? You've got Joanna and I've already moved on with my life."

Amir was a little discouraged to hear this, but he wasn't deterred. "No, I'm not with Joanna any more."

"Does she know that? Did you break it off, or did she?

"I did."

"Why did you do that?"

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk with you about. I've made a terrible mistake…"

"And you wanted me to forgive you?"

"Yes."

There was a pause, and Amir wondered what she was thinking.

"I've already forgiven you," she said.

"You have?" Amir wondered if she was serious.

"Yes, I've forgiven you. I've moved on and I don't think about it any more. You had your reasons for what you did, and if that's what was in your heart, then it's good that you were able to fulfill it."

"But that's just it, cheri. She _didn't_ fulfill me…you did."

Megan felt a lump in her throat and a heaviness. Did he truly think he could just waltz back into her life? When she spoke, she hoped she sounded composed, but Amir could tell that she was fighting to keep from crying.

"It's too late, Amir. I'm with Alex now, and I want to stay where I am. He's not afraid to love me," she said brokenly.

"Have you slept with him yet?" he asked.

Megan couldn't believe this. "That's none of your business!" she cried.

"But it is, darling," he said evenly. "Everything about you is my business because…"

She hung up on him. Megan closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands, her heart pounding in her anger and her mind a jumble of emotion. She dropped heavily onto the couch and laid her head down on the cushion. _Why? Why is he doing this? He's just a playboy…he'll never change. He just wants what he wants, until the next beautiful woman he sees…_

* * *

Amir set the phone back down in its cradle. He sighed and closed his eyes as he leaned back in his favorite chair. Anubis came and hopped up on him and he absently began to stroke her. 

_God, why did I have to say that? I am so fucked _he thought. _She'll never speak to me now. What can I do?_

_

* * *

Monday _

Alex picked Megan up at noon from the Conservatory after her morning classes. He was happy to see her and seemed eager as he drove them downtown towards the Courthouse. She could tell he was proud of what he did, and was looking forward to seeing his office.

The San Francisco Superior Court was actually a number of separate buildings, which even included a jail. Alex led Megan through the large glass doors of the Administration of Justice building and she was surprised to see that everyone entering had to be x-rayed and searched before gaining admittance, and she looked up at Alex uncertainly.

"With so many gangs and guns nowadays, there've been a number of shootings and murders here, so they've had to start searching everyone," he explained.

As they approached the checkpoint, Megan placed her purse on the conveyor to be x-rayed while a security guard passed a wand over her. As Alex watched her walk through, he could feel himself being stared at and looked up to the second floor along the railing. There were people there milling about as usual, and a couple of people talking at the railing and occasionally glancing down into the lobby, but no one was paying any attention to him. It wasn't unusual for most visitors to feel uncomfortable at times because everyone was there for some reason having to do with crime, so feeling edgy was more usual than not. But since Alex worked at the Courthouse every day, he was accustomed to walking these halls and dealing with those seeking justice, so he rarely felt any unease. Still, the feeling wouldn't leave him, and as he glanced about, he couldn't find the reason why.

As Megan went through the checkpoint and collected her purse, she saw Alex go through the same procedure and realized the potential danger of working here, and she began to see him in a different light.

After they'd been searched, Alex took her hand and led her upstairs through maze-like corridors where people waited for their cases to be heard. They finally arrived at one courtroom that was empty because it was still the lunch hour, and he led her inside. Although this courtroom was quite large, Alex explained that not all the courtrooms were. This particular one was used for many high profile cases and was where he spent much of his time when he wasn't in his office. He took Megan up to the front and she smiled as she sat in the witness stand, Alex pretending to put her through a scathing interrogation, and Megan pretending to become hysterical before cracking under pressure. Alex took her hand and they were both laughing, but composed themselves just before exiting the courtroom and making their way upstairs to see his office.

When they reached his office on the fourth floor, Megan was impressed to see his name on the door:

Alejandro M. Garcia, Esq.

Assistant District Attorney

"Wow, I'm impressed," she said sincerely. She saw that he had his own secretary, and although his office was of modest size, was amazed at the amount of files that were on his credenza, in his bookcase, on his desk, and even on the floor. "They keep you pretty busy, don't they?"

"It's steady," Alex agreed, "but there are over twenty assistant DAs here."

Megan looked around his office and saw his framed diplomas on the wall, one granting his Bachelor's Degree and the other granting his Juris Doctor. She was impressed.

When she looked at his desk, it was cluttered with files and papers and pens, except that his pens were not like the cheap ones she picked up at the office supply store. And the picture he had on his desk…was of _her_, in a beautiful gold frame.

"Where did you get that?" she asked, surprised. When she looked up, she saw that he was blushing for the first time.

"I, uh, got that from Christine last week," he said hesitantly. "I asked her if she had one I could put on my desk, and I got to pick out the one I wanted. I hope you don't mind."

Megan was surprised that Alex and her best friend had been in cahoots over this, but she actually felt quite flattered. It was a very nice picture of her. "No, I don't mind," she smiled. "Do I get one of you, too?" she asked.

Alex grinned, relieved. "Of course."

Before they left his office, Alex closed his door most of the way so no one could see in. Megan wondered why he did that until he approached her and kissed her. At that moment, all the noises of the office faded into nothingness, and all there was was Alex.

When he released her, he smiled at her gently and murmured, "I'd always wanted to kiss you in my office."

Megan smiled and he led her out again through the maze of corridors until they were outside. They returned to the car and drove the few minutes through town to reach the Conservatory. Alex eagerly looked forward to seeing Megan dance because although he knew she was a fine dancer from dancing with her at the Salsa Festival, he honestly couldn't imagine her dancing classical ballet, although he reasoned she must be very good if she was dancing the lead.

When they arrived at the Conservatory and then walked to her class, Megan excused herself to get changed as Alex made himself comfortable in one of the chairs that were set out for visitors. Because this was a master's class, visitors were not unusual. The room was filled with male and female students, and Megan came out last with her mother, Madame Gerard, the instructor. Megan had tied her hair back in a bun and was now wearing an attractive leotard and pointe shoes.

As the class began, and the first fifteen minutes were devoted to doing warm-ups, the next fifteen minutes to practicing technique, and the final hour devoted to practicing their part in the production. Everyone took their places around the perimeter of the room as Megan prepared for her solo.

Alex sat in rapt attention as the music began and Megan danced flawlessly throughout, performing leaps, pirouettes, and advanced moves that were breathtaking. Alex was enthralled and even held his breath more than once, fearful that she would fall and break something. He had seen enough ballet over the years to recognize that Megan was a world-class dancer, and he was in awe. With the combination of the music and her graceful dancing, his emotions were poignantly stirred as a result of witnessing such beauty. _And this is the woman I'm falling in love with _he thought. As Megan's part concluded, the other dancers joined her on the floor and performed their parts with her until the class concluded.

"Very good! We need to work on keeping in tighter formation during the second movement, but it's looking much better," Madam Gerard announced. "Dismissed!"

Megan went up and talked to her mother briefly and Alex saw them approach. He was going to meet the formidable Madame Gerard.

Alex stood as they reached him, and Megan smiled and said, "Mom, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Alex Garcia. Alex, this is my mother, Madame Gerard."

Madame Gerard extended her hand and smiled. "I am very pleased to meet you, Alex. Megan has told me about you. I understand you're quite a dancer yourself."

Alex smiled and shook her hand warmly. "Not nearly as good as Megan, I'm afraid. That was incredible," he said as he looked at Megan next to him.

"Yes, she's been dancing all her life, like I have, and she is now ready to take her place at the Phil," Madame Gerard said proudly.

"Mom…" Megan whispered, embarrassed. "Don't tell him that! I don't even know if I'm going to be accepted!"

"Nonsense!" Madame Gerard bristled. "If they can't see talent when it comes knocking, then they don't deserve you! Nice meeting you, Alex," she smiled and shook his hand again before returning to her office.

When Alex turned to Megan, she was rubbing her forehead as though she had a headache. "I'm sorry about that. Mom gets a little carried away when she talks about me, being an only child and all."

Alex smiled, amused. "Don't worry about it, I think it's great that she believes in you. You should've seen my parents when I graduated from law school. But I think she's right. You're an incredible dancer, Megan, and I've seen a lot of ballet."

"Thanks," she said modestly. "I'm going to go get changed now. I'll be right back."

As Megan hurried to the dressing room, Alex seated himself on the chair again to wait for her.

Megan was pleased with her performance. She danced well and felt confident, and Alex had seemed impressed. It just took about ten minutes to change back into her street clothes, so once dressed, she grabbed her purse and went back into the practice room for Alex.

When she walked into the room, she saw him standing and surrounded by three of her female classmates. He was politely laughing with them, and one of them had her hand on his shoulder. Megan was immediately incensed. _Who do those girls think they are! _As she approached the group, Megan stood back until Alex saw her, and he quickly excused himself from them even as they tried to tease him into staying. As Alex took her hand and led her away, she smiled sweetly at him, ignoring the women.

"Megan, I'm sorry about that," Alex explained softly. "I wasn't able to get out of it."

Megan breathed deeply before speaking. "I know, it's not your fault. Let's go." As incredibly handsome as he was, she knew that Alex must get a lot of attention from women in much the same way Amir did, only with Alex, she knew he must also get it from men…

_

* * *

Tuesday afternoon _

Amir was eating lunch in his office and he'd locked his door. This was the last week of the current production, which had been extremely successful for the Phil, and there would be a Wrap Party for the cast and crew this weekend. Joanna had performed well as usual, but her constant stares and attention were driving him crazy. He'd been irritable and short with the cast and crew, and they'd tried to tread lightly around him, but he felt such fear only inhibited their performance. He'd been abrupt with Joanna late that morning, and he was certain she'd excused herself to go and cry. When she'd run from the stage before the rest of the cast, he knew she'd been humiliated and he felt guilty. He'd never had such problems when he was with Megan, and he recalled being more relaxed then, which was reflected in his interactions with the cast. Everyone had noticed then and been happier, and their work had been better. Joanna was affecting him negatively, not just personally, but also in the quality of his work. She wasn't good for him, but then he wondered, _was she ever?_

He thought of Megan. He'd already tried IM'ing her and calling her, and both attempts had been disastrous. He realized now that he had to step back and do something different. Perhaps he would write to her…

_

* * *

Tuesday evening _

AK1000: Good evening, Erik.

EDupont: Why are you IM'ing me?

AK1000: I was looking for Megan, but she wasn't on. I saw you instead.

EDupont: What do you want?

AK1000: You really should work on your people skills.

Erik didn't respond.

AK1000: I'm coming over.

EDupont: Fine.

Amir smiled and wondered how many people would have the patience to put up with Erik besides him.

He was there in ten minutes, and as usual, he peeked into Erik's refrigerator first, pulling out a beer. Erik was sitting before the fireplace, also enjoying a beer.

When Amir joined him, they both sat in silence for awhile until Erik asked, "How are you doing, old man?"

Amir took a sip before replying, "Getting older. She hung up on me, so I'm going to write to her."

"Just make sure Alex doesn't get to it first."

"Why would he?"

"It's a long story."

"Joanna won't leave me alone. I'd fire her if I could, but then she'd sue me for breach of contract."

"You knew better than to get involved with her."

"Yes, and so did you, and now I'm fucked."

"Are you so sure, my friend? Is Megan in love with him?"

"She couldn't be. They've only been together a few weeks."

"Then there's your advantage. Use it."

Amir looked at him and then stood and approached the mantel. "Use it," he muttered. "Pray you'll tell me how I'm supposed to do that."

Erik took another sip and smilied. "You'll figure it out, mon ami. I have faith in you."

_

* * *

Thursday _

Megan was sorting through her mail, tossing the majority away as junk when she came across one that was unfamiliar. It was in a fine buff-colored woven envelope and looked almost like an invitation. There was no return address, but it was mailed yesterday in San Francisco, and it was addressed to her in black ink in a very graceful but masculine hand. Curious, she brought it with her into the living room and opened it.

It was a handwritten letter, but since the writing was unfamiliar, she looked down to the signature, and her eyes widened in disbelief when she saw that it was from Amir. It struck her as odd that in all the time they'd spent together, she'd never seen his handwriting until now, and it was beautiful.

Her hands were shaking slightly, and her heart was pounding as she began to read.

_Dear Megan,_

_I realize that whatever I say within this letter will be woefully inadequate in light of what I have done, but I beg your indulgence so I may truthfully and sincerely express what is in my heart._

_From the deepest part of my heart and soul, I truly regret the pain I have caused you. I understand now my reasons, but foremost among them was my own stupidity. An apology in itself is insufficient, yet I do beg your forgiveness. _

_You have been my only light, my only hope in the whole of my life, and even so, I foolishly took you for granted and lost you. Through my folly I have sacrificed that which I thought could never be mine, and my regret does not diminish but grows deeper with each passing day. Megan, please forgive me. Each day is darkness and there is neither light nor hope without you in it. _

_I humbly request that you meet with me so that we may speak privately. There will be a wrap party at the Phil on Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. Please come._

_Amir_

When she finished reading it, she read it again, and again. She set it down on the coffee table and reclined on the couch and stared at the ceiling.

_

* * *

Friday evening _

Dinner at Alex's was pleasant and fun. He'd made barbecue spareribs and potato salad, and Megan had brought over a mixed green salad and corn on the cob. They ate in the living room off the coffee table and sat on the floor while watching a comedy. Alex loved watching Megan eat barbecue because she was so engrossed in eating her ribs that she wasn't at all mindful of how much sauce was around her mouth. Alex loved this because it presented the perfect opportunity to kiss her whenever he wanted.

When they'd finished dinner, everything was cleaned and put away by the time they returned to the living room. When the movie ended, Alex put on some soothing music and they made themselves comfortable on the couch. Megan seemed somewhat subdued as they listened to the beautiful Spanish guitar music and Alex wondered if something was wrong.

"Are you all right, _princesita?" (princess) _he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," Megan said softly as she sat comfortably beside him. "I was just thinking…"

"About?"

Megan hesitated for a moment. She wondered if she should mention it or keep it to herself, but then decided to share it in order to see how he would react.

"I received a letter from Amir yesterday."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I'm not sure what to make of it." She reached over and retrieved it from her purse, taking it out of the envelope and unfolding it. She looked at it momentarily before offering it to Alex.

He took it from her and looked it over. "Nice handwriting," he murmured as he began to read.

Megan wondered what Alex would say about it. When he finished, he handed it back to her, but didn't say anything.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"He writes well."

"But what do you think about what it said?" she pressed.

Alex hesitated, and for the first time, seemed uncomfortable. "Megan, what do you want me to say?" He rose and walked away from her before turning. "He's your old boyfriend. It's obvious he wants you back. What am I supposed to think?"

Megan looked up at him uncertainly. "I don't know, I just thought that…"

"What? You thought I'd be jealous?" He began pacing. "Of course I'm jealous! I saw what he looked like, and now I see this letter...why _wouldn't_ I be jealous! Why shouldn't he want you back!_ I knew this was going to happen two weeks ago!" _

Megan was shocked. She thought they would have a calm discussion about Amir's letter, but not this. Alex was angry and upset, and by the time he was done, he looked at her and realized that now she was upset, too, and shocked into silence. He turned away and walked to the window to calm himself, running a hand through his hair.

Megan came up behind him. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I shouldn't have shown it to you."

Alex was embarrassed. He was normally calm and very much in control of his emotions, and in fact hadn't experienced such an outburst since… He closed his eyes.

"No, I'm sorry." He turned around and held her. "I like you a lot, Megan, and I don't even want to think about losing you."

Megan held him tightly. "I don't either," she said, and she closed her eyes. _Why couldn't Amir have ever said these words to me?..._

"Did you want to go to that party?" he asked unexpectedly.

Megan was surprised that he would ask, but truth be known, she really did want to go. This is where she hoped her career would be, and any opportunity to be at the San Francisco Philharmonic always filled her with excitement and longing.

"Yes, I'd like to go…but only if you're with me."


	63. The Wrap Party

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Archeology 101, Penmora Zenith, and Musicallover for their valuable suggestions and insight.

Chapter 63

The Wrap Party

_Saturday noon_

"_So como estas, hombre?" _Adrian asked when Alex slid into the booth opposite him. He'd received a call from his friend this morning asking him to join him for lunch, but Adrian suspected that it had more to do with than just chewing the fat.

Adrian had already ordered, so Alex looked over his menu. They both enjoyed coming to the Sidecar Restaurant because it was dark and elegant, and from the outside, looked like a railroad dining car. Despite this playful décor, the food was excellent. When their waitress came by, Alex ordered a plain baked potato with a side of butter and chives, and a beer. Adrian looked at him oddly. "You okay?"

Alex looked back darkly. "He wrote her a letter."

"Who?"

"Amir, Megan's old boyfriend. He sent her a letter."

"You knew this was going to happen. Not him writing to her, but him trying to get her back."

"Yes, I knew it, but I wasn't worried about it until I read it."

"Why? What did he say?"

Alex shook his head and looked at his hands atop the table. "It wasn't even what he said…it was how he said it. I wish I could write like that," he murmured.

Adrian looked at him. "You _can_ write like that. You're an attorney!"

Alex snorted. "I can write like that, but it wouldn't be me. This guy wrote it from his heart. Now I know what I'm up against."

"Maybe so, but she's with _you_ now. You've got the advantage, so use it."

The waitress came by then and brought their beers and plates of food, Alex his baked potato, and Adrian his smothered steak.

"Use it? I've been doing my best. I took her to see my job Monday and then we went to her class and I saw her dance." Alex smiled at the memory. "She's a hell of a dancer…you have to see her."

"Have you slept with her yet?"

"No, it's not like that. I respect her, and I didn't want to rush into it. I wanted us to get to know each other first."

Adrian nodded. He remembered a time not long ago when Alex hadn't been as discriminating as he was now. He had been out of control, and he and Alex's family had been very worried. Alex felt then that he had nothing more to live for and was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, drinking, taking drugs, and sleeping with men and women. With the help of Adrian and his parents, Alex slowly recovered, and it was six months after that that he met Megan. She wouldn't believe such a thing to look at him now, but Adrian had feared for Alex's life.

"So what's next_, hermano?" _

"He invited her to a wrap party at the Phil tonight, so I'm taking her to that."

Adrian looked at him skeptically. "You're taking her to a party that _he_ invited her to?"

Alex returned his look wryly. "She wanted to go to it and she wanted me to go with her. If anything, it should be interesting. I'll get to see what Amir tries to do."

"No kidding. I look forward to hearing about it."

* * *

"I swear these guys make the best hamburgers and French fries in town!" Megan was over the moon about her lunch at Mel's Diner, and Christine could only smile. Because the restaurant was off the beaten tourist path, it wasn't crowded even on a weekend. 

"So tell me what's new with your tall, dark, and gorgeous attorney," Christine asked over her fish and chips.

"He took me to see his job Monday at the Courthouse. And by the way, thanks for giving him that picture of me. I saw it on his desk."

"You're welcome," Christine smiled. She reached for the ketchup and poured some over her French fries.

"After the courthouse, I took him to my dance class and he saw me dance, and he met my mom."

"Really? Wow, that's interesting. I guess now you'll have to meet his parents."

"Maybe, but I'm not in a hurry. I'm just really enjoying what we have so far…he's so much fun to be with. We've been going out for three weeks now and he hasn't even tried anything yet, so it's not about sex. He really likes _me," _she said thoughtfully. "I'm really lucky."

"No, _he's_ really lucky," Christine corrected. "I think Amir just forgot that."

"He sent me a letter the other day."

"Amir sent you a letter?"

"Yes." Megan retrieved it from her purse and handed it to her. "It was the first time I'd ever seen his handwriting."

"It's beautiful," Christine noted as she pulled the letter from the envelope. "Why did he write you a letter?"

"He probably thought it was the only way to talk to me since I wouldn't IM with him and I hung up on him. And he'd be right."

Christine read the short letter and then returned it to her. "He certainly has a way with words…just like Erik. Are you going to go to the wrap party?"

"Yes, but I'm going with Alex."

Christine wondered about the wisdom of that. Although she understood her reasoning, she was sure Amir would be upset. "Do you think that's wise? You know how the guys get."

"I know, but it'll also send him the message that he wasn't the be-all and end-all of my life. It'll show him that I really have moved on."

Christine looked at her skeptically. "But have you? Be honest with yourself."

Megan smiled. "Of course I have, Alex is my boyfriend now."

"But Amir invited you so he could talk to you. Do you think you'll still be able to if you go with Alex?"

"Probably not, but it doesn't matter because he's just a playboy, and he's not going to change."

Christine couldn't argue with her, but she had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

"How do you like them?" Amir asked. He'd made fish tacos, his own recipe, and invited Erik over to try them, and another margarita recipe. 

"They're wonderful," Erik smiled. "What kind of fish is this?"

"Catfish. My personal favorite."

"And I also like this margarita recipe. Where did you get it?"

"Mazatlan. It was in the pages of Bon Appetit magazine."

Erik smiled. Many of his own recipes were out of magazines, but he had never shared that bit of information. "Are you ready for the party tonight?"

Amir spritzed some lime over his taco. "I think so. I invited Megan."

"Do you think she'll come?"

"I don't know, I hope so. Considering how much she loves the Phil, I can't imagine her not coming if she's been invited."

"I take it you wrote to her?"

"Yes, she should have received it Thursday."

"Do you know what you'll say to her?"

"No, but I'm sure it'll come to me when I see her. How are things with Christine?"

Erik smiled genuinely. "So far, wonderful." He paused to gather his thoughts. "I never thought I'd get another chance, but here we are. I'm just…so thankful to be alive," he said softly.

Amir nodded. He understood how his friend must feel. He hoped that he would also be given a second chance someday, and in this he envied him.

Erik sipped his margarita. "We'll be dropping in at the wrap party tonight."

Amir looked up. "Really?" This was news, for in all the years Erik had been there, he'd never once attended a wrap party, although Amir had encouraged him to attend each and every time.

"Yes, Christine's never been to one, and I think she'd enjoy it. And all the better if she sees Megan there, too."

"Perhaps we can leave early and go out for a drink," Amir suggested. "I don't believe we've been out together since we met up at the Paladin Club last year."

"Sounds like fun. Who's catering this year?"

"No idea, that's Roan's department."

Erik snorted as he was reminded of Roan's broken arm. Roan would be at the party for sure, but he was certain Mr. Richards would conduct himself civilly, at least for appearance's sake. He was glad he wouldn't have to vie for Christine's attention any longer. She was his, exclusively, and there was nothing Mr. Richards could do about it.

_

* * *

Saturday evening, the Wrap Party _

It was a wonderfully festive and celebratory atmosphere as one walked into the lobby of the Phil. Everything was beautifully decorated, the theme skillfully displayed by the use of numerous props and backdrops from the show. The receipts for the three-month run of the opera had exceeded their expectations, and this meant a more lavish party for those whose tireless efforts made it possible.The buffet spread on one side of the lobby was lavish and catered by The Sidecar Restaurant. Heated bins held numerous finger foods and treats, and an open bar stocked wine and spirits, as well as soft drinks and water. The place was filled to capacity by the starting time of 7:00, and everyone looked forward to a week's hiatus after the party. Though it was understood that this was a time for relaxation and not a formal get-together, the majority of revelers enjoyed dressing according to theme, which for tonight meant Italy in the 1600's. And thanks to the costume department, this also included the crew and the rest of the staff.

Roan stood back and admired the efforts of his department as he sipped his drink. These parties were a tradition at the Phil, its main purpose to maintain the morale of their employees, and indeed, everyone looked like they were having a wonderful time.

"Nothing like a little revelry to close out a show, eh?"

Roan turned and saw Rick standing next to him in costume, nursing his own drink. "I usually look forward to the dancing, but I don't think I'll be dancing tonight," he said, indicating his cast.

"How's the arm?" Rick inquired.

"The cast comes off in five more weeks, but I'll still have to take it easy a month after that."

"Have you talked with Erik since then?"

"No way, he's crazy and he's dangerous. I don't want anything to do with him."

"Is Christine still dating him?"

"Yeah," he said ruefully, "but I haven't seen her since we broke up."

"Come on," Rick gestured, "let's go mingle."

* * *

Amir opted not to wear a costume and spent most of his time chatting with the other conductors and musicians. When he excused himself to go to the buffet tables, Joanna attempted to speak to him about getting together later, but he politely refused and excused himself to return to the others in the music department. Several minutes later, he turned to see how she was doing after his rebuff and was pleased to see her conversing with Mr. Richards and Mr. DeChangy. She seemed to be having a good time, and he was genuinely glad for her. He wondered if Megan would come. 

When it was close to eight, Erik and Christine arrived, causing somewhat of a stir since this was the first time many of them had ever seen the reclusive Erik Dupont. When Amir saw them, he stepped forward and greeted them warmly, clasping Erik's hand and giving Christine a hug and a kiss on the cheek. They were dressed in regular street clothes, but because it was an informal gathering, it was quite acceptable. After a few minutes of exchanging pleasantries Amir invited them to partake of some food and drink. Christine stayed close to Erik, her arm through his, and marveled at the beautiful decorations and people in costume. It was like a dream come true to be among the professionals of the theatre world, and she felt highly privileged to be so closely associated with Erik and Amir.

Amir was about to rejoin them after they'd had some food and refreshments when he suddenly noticed another couple arriving in the lobby. It was Megan, dressed attractively in a simple skirt and top, and she was with Alex, dressed casually in jeans and a tee shirt. Amir didn't react outwardly, but inside, he was seething.

Erik saw their entrance, as had Christine, and he immediately looked toward Amir, who seemed to be casually holding his drink as he stood amongst a group of conductors, but Erik could tell at a glance that Amir was furious. He politely excused himself from Christine's side to go and have a word with him.

As Megan and Alex entered the lobby, Christine approached them and gave them both a hug. Megan was as excited to be there as Christine, and she and Alex decided to go and look at all the decorations around the hall before helping themselves to the buffet.

Christine looked to the other side of the room and saw Erik still in conversation with Amir, so she decided to go to the buffet tables and make herself a plate of hors d'oeurvres. She noticed there were only dessert-sized plates, which was actually a good thing, otherwise she was sure it would be too easy to load up on all the delicious food. As she went down the row, she placed a little bit of whatever she wanted on her plate before moving on until she was sure she hadn't missed a thing. She also helped herself to a glass of sparkling ice water and found a comfortable spot by the wall where she could eat and drink in peace while happily people-watching as she waited for Erik. She felt calm and at peace as she nibbled on her finger foods and thought _These people are all professionals. Soon, maybe I'll be one of them… _

"Christine…how are you?" came a voice to her right.

When she turned, she saw that it was Roan in costume. She'd forgotten that he would be here. "Roan…I'm fine. How've you been?" she asked awkwardly.

"I've been well. I've missed you," he said sincerely. "Are you enjoying the party?"

She smiled. "Yes, everything's so beautiful, you've done a wonderful job."

"Thanks, but it was the entire department," he said modestly. "There'll also be dancing later, starting around ten."

"Sounds like it'll be a lot of fun. Is Rick here, too?" she asked.

"Yes, he was talking to Joanna the last time I saw him. I'm sure you'll see him later."

It was then that Christine noticed his cast. "Did you hurt your arm? How did you do that?"

Roan's pleasant demeanor faded, and he hesitated before replying. "Your boyfriend broke it," he said evenly.

She looked at him as though he were joking. "Erik? Why would Erik do something like that?"

He took a sip of his drink before answering. "How would I know? People on drugs do a lot of things."

"Drugs? What are you talking about? Erik doesn't take drugs!" Christine felt like she was falling into a nightmare.

Roan raised his eyebrows. "Actually, he does. Ask him. Ask him if he doesn't take drugs." Roan seemed to spot someone on the other side of the room and chose this moment to break away. "I think I see someone. It was good seeing you again, Christine. I hope we can talk again." And he walked away as Christine stared after him, her emotions in turmoil. The sounds of the party returned to her, but they were no longer festive sounds. She wanted to leave.

Erik returned to her about five minutes later and apologized for leaving her side for so long. He was glad he'd been able to talk to Amir and reason with him because it really didn't matter if he couldn't talk to Megan tonight. There would always be other times and other opportunities, and impatience would only muddle his thinking.

Christine went over and threw away her still full plate of appetizers and water, and Erik wondered if she was feeling well. "Darling, are you all right?"

Christine turned to him, but didn't meet his eye. "I'm sorry, but I'm really not feeling well…could you take me home, please?"

"Of course, cheri." Erik immediately took her hand and led her through the crowds and to the elevator down to the parking garage. They were soon on their way back to her apartment, but Christine was silent during the ride. Erik looked over at her, concerned, and wondered if something else might not be the matter. "I saw you talking with Mr. Richards," he said casually.

"Yes, I hadn't seen him since we broke up. I asked him how he hurt his arm."

Erik froze. "And what did he say?"

"He said you broke it. Did you?" she asked softly.

Erik's mind was racing. "Yes…I did. But it was in self-defense."

"Why was it in self-defense? What happened?"

"He tried to attack me in the parking garage. I was able to subdue him, but he wouldn't give up. It was the only way to make him stop."

"Why did he attack you?"

"He blamed me for why you couldn't love him." Erik looked at her. "Was he correct?"

Christine shook her head. "No, he wasn't. It had nothing to do with you. I could never have fallen in love with him because it just wasn't there. He was trying to make it happen."

Erik was glad to hear that. Christine evidently wouldn't have been able to love Roan no matter what.

"He said you took drugs."

Erik was stunned. How could he have known?

"Do you?" Christine was looking at him. He had to answer her.

"No, I don't."

"Then why would he say such a thing? What a horrible lie!"

"I don't know why he'd say it," Erik murmured. _It had to be Don. No one else knew…_

* * *

"You didn't tell me Megan was going to be here," Joanna said in a hurt tone as she joined Amir at the champagne fountain. 

"It's not necessary that I tell you everything that goes on in my life," he said evenly, and he walked away from her. He'd seen Erik and Christine leave, but he wasn't surprised by this. He scanned the room again for Megan, but it had actually been awhile since he'd seen her and wondered where she'd gone.

He set down his glass and made his way to the main auditorium, which was now empty. Even so, he thought it was beautiful. He turned to go up the stairs that would take him to the balcony. He wanted to sit in his usual seat in the calm and quiet of the empty theatre where he could be alone with his thoughts before going back downstairs. He wished he could share this moment with Erik for he would also have appreciated the calm.

When he reached the balcony level, he thought how unusual it was to be here when it was deserted, but he relished the solitude. He was about to step through the heavy curtains that covered the entry leading to the second set of curtains which let out to the seating when he heard a muffled sound, and he stopped.

He silently parted the curtains, and that was when he saw them, and he froze. Alex was passionately kissing Megan against the far wall. But more than that, he was fondling her, his hand moving up her silky smooth thigh under her skirt, his other hand fisted in her golden tresses, pulling it aside to expose her neck to be devoured as she moaned softly. Amir was rooted to the spot and couldn't move, nor could he look away. He stared in his disbelief and anguish… _He's doing the things I used to do, loving her like I did… _And then he saw him start to suckle her breasts…

Amir stepped back stiffly from the curtains until he was back in the hall. He was in shock, and he was breathing shallowly as he tried to make his way down the stairs. He stopped at the bottom to gather himself, his thoughts in disarray. He felt as though he were in a daze and thought _this is how she felt when she saw me making love to Joanna... _He had to leave.

He hurriedly made his way to the elevators. The party was still going strong and the music was about to begin. When the elevator doors parted, he stepped in and pressed the down button to the parking garage, and he fell back heavily against the back wall as he descended. He closed his eyes, but opened them quickly when all he could see were Megan and Alex in the throes of passion. When he reached the garage, he quickly located his car and sped off. He just wanted to go home, have several stiff drinks, and then go to bed. He needed to get over this, and then figure out what he needed to do...

* * *

Joanna had seen Amir hurriedly call the elevator and leave the party. He had seemed upset and she wondered if there was anything she could do for him. She was sure he was going home, so she would meet him there. _I can make him feel better…. He still doesn't realize that I'm the one he needs._

She took her leave from the party and quickly walked to her car and drove through late night traffic to his apartment. It had been more than a week since he'd called her. It was obvious he still loved Megan, but since Megan had already found herself another boyfriend, it meant that _she _still had a chance. _Amir never could resist making love to me. He just needs to be reminded of how good it was. If he makes love to me, then he'll want me again…_

* * *

Amir was finally glad to be home for it was his sanctuary from the world. He wearily made his way to the bar and prepared a drink for himself before walking into his bedroom to get undressed. Anubis was sleeping in the center of his bed and didn't move even as he removed his jacket and watch and sat down to remove his shoes. He sighed and rested his hands momentarily on either side of him, thinking about the evening. He felt like hell. He took a deep breath as he stood and unbuttoned his shirt when he heard a soft knock on the door. _Who the hell?..._

He walked down the hallway and approached the door. He looked out the peephole and saw that it was Joanna, still in costume. _Not now! _

He opened the door. "Joanna, what are you doing here?" he asked irritably.

She looked at him and saw that his shirt was untucked and unbuttoned. "I saw you leave the party and you looked upset...I wanted to know if I could do anything for you."

"No, you can't do anything for me. Thank you for your concern, but you came out here for nothing."

"No, I didn't," she said as she walked past him. "I came out here because I care about you, and I wanted to make sure you were all right."

Amir couldn't believe her brazenness. "Joanna, I really want to be alone tonight."

"You may have wanted to be alone, but that's not always the best thing for you," she said firmly as she walked into the living room.

He closed the door but went after her and grabbed her arm roughly. "Joanna, I want you out of here," he said angrily. "I need to be alone!"

"Ow." She rubbed her arm. "Amir, I know you still have feelings for Megan, but she obviously doesn't feel the same way. But _I'm_ here for you." She placed her hand on his bare chest and attempted to remove his shirt from him.

"That's enough…get out." Amir took her by the arm and tried to lead her back toward the door, but Joanna pulled away.

"_No! I'm _the one you should be with, don't you understand? You used to love being with me, but you've been avoiding me…_why?"_

"Joanna, I don't want to discuss this now," he said angrily.

"_WHY?" _she pleaded.

Impatient and aggravated by her presence, he stared at her coldly. "Because it was just sex, Joanna. I was only in it for the sex."

She was stunned, her emotions teetering on the precipice of either screaming at him or bursting into tears. No one had ever spoken to her in such a manner, and it insulted her thoroughly.

Amir continued, "And now, you know where the door is."

At these words her anger flared, and before she knew what she was doing, her hand flew up to slap him. Amir saw this immediately and reacted with cat-like reflexes to grab her wrist tightly. The shock of being stopped played upon her face, and she lowered her eyes to her trembling hand, which was still held firmly in his grasp. He yanked her close to him, forcing her against him, and his voice was low and dangerous next to her ear. "That was not a wise move, my dear. It would be best if you left now…and did not return."

He released her abruptly and turned. He walked to his bedroom and slammed the door. Joanna was shocked. No man had ever walked away from her and dismissed her so easily. The silence in the room was deafening, and she looked around her at the comfortable apartment that had become so familiar but now seemed oppressive.

She walked to the door to let herself out, her heart heavy and pained, but she took one last look around and thought _what am I going to do now? I'm alone… _She closed the door quietly behind her and left.

* * *

When Alex and Megan finally returned from the balcony, they were smiling. They joined the other revelers in the lobby and had a wonderful time dancing a few dances before deciding to leave the party. Megan excused herself to visit the ladies' room while Alex remained in the lobby to enjoy the music. He helped himself to a glass of champagne and closed his eyes as he breathed in deeply, a small smile playing upon his lips. Upon leaving the party, he and Megan had agreed to go to his place, and they would enjoy their first night together. He was eagerly anticipating what was to come… 

"_Te acuerdas?" (Do you remember?)_

It was a soft masculine voice, almost a whisper, near his ear. Alex opened his eyes and slowly turned to see who had spoken, but there was no one there in his immediate area. _I know that voice…_

He hurriedly scanned the crowd all around him, but he didn't see anyone he recognized. _I know I didn't imagine it…I couldn't have…_

Megan returned just then and touched his arm, and he jumped, startling her. She looked at him curiously. "Are you all right? You seem a little nervous."

Alex relaxed when he saw her, but he continued to look around. "I'm all right. I just thought I saw someone...," and he downed the contents of his champagne glass in one gulp. He was definitely not in the mood any longer. "Uh…Megan, would you mind terribly if we changed our plans and made it for another night? I don't think I can do this tonight."

Megan couldn't believe it. "Are you serious? Are you feeling okay?"

"No, as a matter of fact, I don't think I am. I think I'd better get home."

Megan looked at him and had to admit that he did look a little peaked. "All right. Would you like me to drive, or do you feel well enough?"

"No, I can drive. Come on, let's go."

Megan was sorely disappointed, and she wondered what could have happened to change his mind so suddenly.

As he drove her home, Alex replayed the voice in his mind over and over again…


	64. Revenge

Author's Note: Because this is my first piece of fanfiction, it's been quite a learning experience for me. Producing one chapter a week has been challenging and doesn't allow much time to see how a certain plotline will develop until you get into the next chapter or two. I could have chosen to post once every two or three weeks at a time in order to make sure a storyline worked, but I really wanted to keep posting once a week because of how impatient I used to get when a favorite fanfic wouldn't update for months at a time. As a result, I've had to make changes twice before after posting a chapter in order to make the story better and more cohesive. I know readers were thrown off by this, but it was absolutely necessary to make the storyline work. I believe readers are aware that I will not shy away from controversial topics if they fit the story, but if they don't, I will make changes in order to make the story better. This site has been an invaluable forum for me to improve my writing skills, and it's been a constant work in progress. That said, I wanted to inform you that I've made a major change in chapter 63 in order to change the direction of the story. My editors and I have brainstormed this all week and we felt this change was necessary for the story to progress as we had envisioned.

My thanks again to all of you who reviewed, and a special thank you to my incredible team for their insight and suggestions. Thank you Archeology101, Penmora Zenith, and Musicallover.

Chapter 64

Revenge

_12 Midnight, after the Wrap Party_

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mae? This is Erik."

"Erik! Talk about a blast from the past! Don't tell me you've finally changed your mind about having a good time with me!"

"No, sorry, Mae, nothing like that. But I did want to ask you for a favor."

"Anything for you, sweetie! All you have to do is ask."

"I knew I could count on you, darling. Here's what I have in mind…"

_

* * *

Sunday morning _

EDupont: Good morning, Christine.

AriaMaven: Good morning, Erik. I'm sorry about last night.

EDupont: That's all right, cheri. Are you feeling better now?

AriaMaven: Yes, I am. I guess I was more upset about my conversation with Roan than I thought. I can't imagine Roan actually trying to attack you, but I'm sure you did what you had to do. I'm just glad he didn't hurt you.

EDupont: Thank you. It's all over now.

AriaMaven: I think I was more upset about what he said about you taking drugs. He made it sound like you were a drug addict.

EDupont: Mr. Richards is very jealous, and he was hurt when you broke up with him. He's obviously not used to losing.

AriaMaven: Thank you for taking me to the wrap party last night. I really enjoyed it even though we weren't there very long.

EDupont: There will always be more wrap parties, my dear, and we can go to all of them if you wish.

AriaMaven: Erik?

EDupont: Yes, my dear?

AriaMaven: I'm so glad you're back in my life.

EDupont: I am, too, darling. I never want to lose you again.

AriaMaven: You won't, my love. Never.

EDupont: Would you like to get together today?

AriaMaven: I thought you'd never ask.

EDupont: Meet me in the courtyard of the Phil at two. I want to show you something.

AriaMaven: I look forward to it. I'll see you soon.

EDupont: Till then.

* * *

"So how was the wrap party?" Adrian asked breathlessly. He and Alex were jogging through the Cultural District and had just passed the buildings of the Music Center. 

"It was interesting," Alex replied, keeping a steady pace. "It was fun actually."

"Did Amir try to make any trouble?"

"We hardly saw him. He must have left early."

They approached an art museum from which a couple of very attractive young women were exiting. Adrian smiled at them and murmured a friendly 'hello,' to which they smiled and replied with a cheery 'hi' back.

"Christine was there," Alex mentioned, smiling at Adrian's flirtation.

"Really? Who was she with?"

"Erik Dupont, the resident composer."

Adrian was silent for a moment. "Figures."

"A strange thing happened, though," Alex mentioned softly.

When he didn't say anything, Adrian impatiently asked, _"Okay, so what happened?"_

Alex looked at him strangely. "Someone whispered to me, but when I looked around, there was nobody there."

"Could you have imagined it?"

"No. It sounded like Juan, but how would he know about the wrap party? And if he was there, I don't know how I could've missed him."

They jogged on in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Alex wondered if he was being stalked. If it was indeed Juan, why couldn't he just make himself known? Why would he follow him? He felt uneasy. If Juan was at the wrap party with them last night, then he surely knew about his involvement with Megan. He didn't for a moment believe that Juan posed a threat to either of them, but it was disconcerting to think he was being watched. "If it is him, why do you think he'd be following me?" Alex asked. "Why can't he just come over and say hi?"

Adrian knew Juan almost as well as Alex did, having gone to college together, and the answer seemed obvious. "He probably wants to see how close you are to Megan."

"But why would that even matter?"

"Because he cares about you…more than he cares about himself. That's why he left in the first place."

Alex knew this was true, but it still didn't make it any easier.

_

* * *

Sunday afternoon _

When Erik met Christine in the courtyard she was sitting on a bench. It was currently sunny, but it was also occasionally overcast and perfect for what he wanted to show her. He led her to a bench that was the farthest away from the Phil and they sat facing its enormous façade. Christine recalled that this was the very bench she sat at almost a year ago, hoping to see the legendary magic that was the Phil, but failing at that time to see it.

The Phil had many columns and alcoves, decorative carvings and fanciful etchings that were beautiful whether taken on its own or as a whole. From a distance, the beautiful building looked like a wonderfully modern, yet antiquarian structure, with carvings and designs on every surface. But when the light would strike the building in just the right way, it was said that these carvings and designs would suddenly take on a cohesiveness that till then were invisible, and then would appear an incredibly detailed and vivid image of a man in a beautiful meadow, one hand on his steed, and the other outstretched, as though welcoming another to join him on his journey. This man was strikingly handsome and was smiling. He was obviously wealthy judging by his garments, but he was also wise and compassionate. The grass around him was tall and waving in an imagined wind, and there were clouds in the sky. This image in itself was breathtaking, but if one looked even closer, there were images within the images of the grass and the clouds. Some said that these images were of this man and a woman kissing, while others said it was of them making love, but the images were so fleeting that no one was ever sure.

As they sat on the bench, Erik explained, "You'll notice that it's overcast, but sometimes, when there's a break in the clouds, you'll see patches of sunlight come through before it becomes overcast again. Watch the building when this happens. It's this delicate interplay between light and shadow that cause the images to appear."

They sat for a few minutes when it finally happened, and Christine gasped at what she saw appearing before her very eyes. As the sunlight peaked between the clouds and struck the building, she saw the image suddenly appear before her, and she sat in awe and marveled at its beauty and detail. She looked at the face of the man and admired its strength and kindness and tried to commit it to memory. She glanced quickly at the grass and clouds to see if she could see the legendary images she'd read so much about, and she did indeed see _something_, but before she could actually see it, the sunlight passed over and was replaced by the overcast, and then the images disappeared. When she looked around, she saw that there were a few passerby in the courtyard who had also witnessed this rare event. She felt privileged to have seen it, for through some trick of the sculptor, the images could not be seen in the overcast or in bright sunlight, but only when there was both.

"What did you think of it, my dear?" Erik asked, interrupting her train of thought.

"It was amazing," she breathed. "This is the first time I've ever been able to catch it. The architect was truly a genius."

"It takes an intimate knowledge of physics and mathematics, as well as artistic skill, of course, but it was his gift to show the world what could be possible."

"Yes." Christine was still amazed at seeing such a work come alive before her own eyes, and to hear Erik explain it in such a way seemed almost spiritual. It was just another aspect of him that she loved, his unique type of spirituality.

"Erik, would you like to come over for dinner tonight?" she asked suddenly.

He looked at her and smiled. "I would love to, my dear, but I can't tonight. I have something important I must attend to. But I would like very much to see you again soon."

Christine thought this was odd, not that Erik wouldn't have his own commitments from time to time, but the fact that this was the first time he'd ever refused her. As silly as it seemed, she realized for the first time that Erik truly did have a life apart from her. _Of course he could be busy, he's a very important man…_

_

* * *

Mr. Lucky's, 12:00 midnight _

It was a low-key neighborhood bar that was frequented by Wall Street types, and even at this late hour, there were still a number of regulars at the bar and at tables.

"Hey, Rob, how about a drink for the lovely lady here, what she was having," he called to the bartender.

She looked at him with dark, sultry eyes and smiled. "Thank you. And what are you having?"

"I'll have another Scotch and water." He placed some money on the counter. "It's kind of late for you to be out at this hour, isn't it? What's your name?"

"Mae. What's yours?"

"Don. You live around here, Mae?"

"No, but that's why I come here. And why are you here this late, Don?"

"Late business, but I do have a day job," he smiled. "And what is it you do, pretty lady?"

"I guess you could say I'm in the entertainment industry."

"I'm not surprised. Are you an actress?"

She smiled. "You could say that."

"I knew it! You're too pretty not to be. Tell me about some of the work you've done…"

They spent the next hour chatting amiably and getting to know one other. They laughed and shared anecdotes until they were very comfortable and well-lubricated. Don had his hand on her thigh and was leaning in towards her.

"It's getting late, Mae, but I'm really enjoying this and I don't want it to end. I've only known you for an hour, but I want to get to know you better. Why don't we go someplace so we can be more comfortable?"

Mae smiled broadly and brought her face up close to his and murmured, "What did you have in mind, Don?"

"Well, there's a nice motel next door we can use. Is that okay with you?"

She looked down at her drink and smiled. "That's okay if you'll have a last drink with me before we go."

"Another round over here," he called to the bartender. "I'll be right back, honey. Gotta visit the men's room."

The bartender brought over their drinks as Don left the counter. Mae opened her purse and retrieved a small tablet which she dropped into his drink. She was glancing at her watch and sipping her drink when Don returned a few minutes later, and she appeared glad to see him.

"Here, let's finish our drinks and get out of here." He emptied his glass quickly and seemed anxious to go.

Mae finished her drink as well and hopped off the bar stool as they made their way out to the sidewalk. They walked next door to the motel and were greeted by the owner, who was also the desk clerk, and who was sitting behind the counter reading a newspaper.

"Good evening, folks. The only room I have left tonight is here on the first floor right next to the office, if that's all right," he explained.

"That's fine," Don replied, taking out his credit card to pay for the room.

As soon as they were registered, the desk clerk handed him a key card. "If you folks need anything, just let me know. I'm Charlie."

They walked into the hallway, and just as he said, the room was the first one off the hall.

Don unlocked the door, and as they walked in and turned on the light, they saw that it was a fairly pleasant room with amenities, and the queen-sized bed actually looked quite comfortable. When Don closed the door, Mae laid her purse down on the table and removed her coat. Don placed the key card and his car keys on the table and removed his jacket, placing it over a chair. He looked at Mae expectantly, and she smiled at him knowingly and slowly approached him, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing her lips up to his in a delirious kiss. Don kissed her back deeply, reveling in her closeness and warmth. _She smells so good…_

As he kissed her, his hands slowly unzipped her dress and brought it down from around her shoulders along with her slip, and it fell to the floor. He unhooked her bra and slipped it from her arms, and he felt the smooth expanse of her shoulders and back. He brought his hands down to her hips and past the waistband of her bikini panties, kneading and massaging her butt cheeks, loving their firm fullness.

Mae pulled her lips away and smiled as she looked down at his shirt and began to unbutton it slowly. She opened it and placed her hands upon his chest, feeling him, and she placed kisses upon it and licked his nipples with the tip of her tongue, titillating him. She unbuckled his belt and unzipped his trousers, pulling them down along with his briefs until they pooled around his feet, and she took hold of his cock as she knelt before him and began to tease the head of it with the tip of her tongue. Don inhaled sharply at this delicious sensation. _We've been here about 10 minutes _Mae thought. _It takes 30 minutes for the pill to work._

She squeezed his balls gently and continued to tease him until she felt his pre-cum begin to coat the head of his penis. She stood, but rubbed the pre-cum slowly around the head with her fingers, which drove Don crazy. He quickly threw off his shirt and kicked off his shoes and socks. Turning from her, he reached for his jacket and fumbled through an inner pocket. Finding what he wanted, he tore it open and put it on. When he turned around, she saw that he'd slipped on a condom, which she appreciated. "Let's get in bed," he smiled.

He turned back the covers and they climbed into bed. Don turned to her immediately and kissed her, fondling her breasts and gently sucking her nipples. He climbed on top of her and she felt him position himself just inside her entrance. He pushed slightly and she felt him breach her threshold, causing her to jerk involuntarily, and she deliberately cried out at his sudden entry. She moaned sensuously as he began to thrust rhythmically, and she could tell that her cries were encouraging him on. She could feel the heat from his body rising, the sweat on his back…he would be ready very soon…good…

He loved the sound of her cries from what he was doing to her, and he could actually feel her gripping his cock tightly, and he couldn't hold back any longer. He began to pump into her vigorously and groaned loudly as he came. _God, she's so good…she's incredible!_

When it was over, he moved off of her and laid next to her with his eyes closed, trying to catch his breath. Soon, he was in a deep sleep.

Mae looked at her watch. _Thirty minutes exactly. _She quickly rose from the bed and walked over to retrieve her purse. She removed a thin robe from it and quickly tied it around her. She went over to the wall that connected to the room next to hers and rapped on the wall twice. Soon, there was a soft knock on the door. She opened it and Erik walked in with another man, who was carrying a small suitcase.

They walked into the large bathroom and Mae sat upon the counter as Erik watched the man open his suitcase. Inside, it looked like a very well-stocked make-up case. "You're going to be amazed by what Brian can to do," Mae winked.

"I'm counting on it," Erik murmured.

From the bedroom came the sound of Don's easy snoring as Brian began working on Mae's face. He uncapped a jar and selected a wide, short-handled brush, and he began to cover her face with a white watery base coat. When he was done, he blended this base coat into her skin with a round sponge and then retrieved from his case a base foundation in a shade lighter than her natural skin tone and blended that in as well. "Now comes the fun part," he murmured as he put away the foundations and reached for several small pots of red and blue powders in various shades, as well as pencils in browns and blacks. In the space of a half an hour, Mae had gone from beautiful vixen to a battered and bruised murder victim. And with the help of prosthetics, her eyes were almost swollen shut.

"I'll need you to lie down now," he said when he'd finished.

They moved themselves back into the bedroom and they saw that Don was still sleeping peacefully and looked as though he would be out for some time yet. Mae unselfconsciously removed her robe and moved the covers over as she laid down naked on her side of the bed. This wasn't the first time Erik had ever seen her naked, but he noticed that Mae was still very beautiful and slender.

Brian opened his case again and removed the top tray. From underneath, he pulled out another prosthetic, but this one was large and irregularly shaped. He pulled out another jar and spread the contents over the underside of the prosthetic, and when it was thoroughly coated, he placed it over Mae's torso and abdomen. At this point, Brian took out some tubes of fast-drying paint, a palette, more brushes, and smaller pieces of rubber. As he worked, Erik was amazed at how quickly he was able to paint the prosthetic piece to appear identical to serious knife wounds to the stomach and abdomen, as well as blood and gore on other parts of her body. By the time he finished within the hour, Mae looked practically eviscerated. The finishing touch was to spread enough dark red paint around her equivalent to what would have been shed had she truly been killed.

When they were finished, it was almost 3:00, and Erik and Brian returned to the room next door.

* * *

It was 3:00 in the morning when Don awoke, and his cock was rock hard. He was horny and he wanted to fuck. Mae had been so incredible that he'd fallen asleep immediately, and now he wanted more. The room was pitch black, but he turned to her now and shook the covers over her shoulder. She didn't move, so she wasn't going to wake up. _That's okay…I can fuck her while she sleeps. _

He was about to climb on top of her when he noticed that the sheet was cold and wet. _Why's the sheet wet?_

He turned on his light, and when he looked back, he let out a horrified scream. The bed was soaked in blood and Mae had been stabbed numerous times. Her face had been beaten until it was unrecognizable, and her hair was matted with blood. He kept on screaming and fell out of the bed in his panic.

Suddenly, a key card was inserted in the door and Charlie burst into the room, demanding angrily, _"What the hell's going on in here!" _But the moment he saw Mae's lifeless body, a look of horror replaced his anger and he choked, _"You killed her! She's dead! I'm calling the police!" _

But before he could bolt out the door, Don grabbed him back into the room, panic-stricken and frantic. _"No! No, I didn't kill her! Honest, I don't know what happened – I just woke up and found her like this. I didn't do it!" _

Frightened, the desk clerk asked, "What are you going to do?"

Don hurriedly retrieved his wallet and took out some bills and held them out to Charlie, who backed away. "Here, here's $200. Take it! Just don't tell anybody about this, please…"

Don thought back over the evening, trying to recall who may have remembered seeing him with Mae tonight – the bartender, the other people at the bar. And Charlie had run his credit card.…

"Look, I've got money, lots of it. If you get rid of her for me and don't tell anybody, I can pay you!"

Charlie looked at him blankly for a moment as his words sunk in, his look of fear was slowly replaced by a calculating smirk. "How much?"

"Ten thousand dollars. I'll bring it to you as soon as the banks open." He looked at the man desperately, who slowly nodded.

"Okay, you bring me the money by 10:00 tomorrow, and I won't say anything. After our business is finished, you'd better leave the state, because I'll get rid of her tonight, but they'll eventually find her, and then they'll trace her back to you."

Don nodded vigorously in relief. "Thank you, thank you. I'll bring the money first thing tomorrow morning, and then I'll leave the state."

He walked into the bathroom to clean away all traces of the blood that was on him and then returned to the room to hurriedly get dressed. He grabbed his car keys off the table, but before leaving, he handed Charlie the $200. He hoped this would serve as a good faith gesture so that Charlie wouldn't tell anyone, and also to assure him that he would return tomorrow with the $10,000. Charlie nodded to him once and Don quickly made his way out of the motel to his car, nervously pulling out of the parking lot and speeding home, looking in his rearview mirror all the way, certain that he was being followed.

When Don had gone, there was a knock on the door and Charlie opened it to Erik and Mae and they walked in. Brian had already left.

"Thank you," Erik said sincerely.

Charlie nodded. "You're welcome. You're a good friend of Mae's, and that's good enough for me."

Mae came over and gave him a kiss. "Thanks, Charlie. I owe you one," she said, and she gave him a wink, which made him smile.

While Mae got dressed in her clothes, which were still draped over a chair, they set about cleaning the room and gathering the sheets and linens that were soiled by the fake blood. Fortunately, Charlie had lined the bed earlier with a vinyl mattress cover, so they were spared having to dispose of a bulky mattress. Erik was grateful that Charlie had been able to ensure that there were no other tenants there that night, and he was amused that Don hadn't noticed that they were the only ones in the entire motel. Charlie had been nervous about Erik's plan, but had agreed after Erik had offered him twice the revenue he would have lost by closing the motel to the public for one night.

As they went out to Erik's car, Mae got in the passenger side and Erik shook Charlie's hand again in thanks before pulling away from the curb and driving off into the night. Charlie watched them go until they turned the corner and he then re-entered his motel. He shook his head. _What a night! _He thought about the money that Mr. Dupont had given him so he wouldn't suffer a financial loss, and then the $200 from Don, and then the $10,000 he would receive in the morning. _Unbelievable._

* * *

Erik drove Mae back home and walked her up the steps to the front door of her grand estate on Nob Hill. He held her hand as he said sincerely, "Mae, I can't thank you enough for your help tonight." 

She smiled at him warmly. "It was nothing compared to what you've already done for me, Erik. I'll never be able to do enough to repay you for saving my life."

He smiled and they embraced one another. Their friendship and their bond ran deep. Erik was happy that Mae had made something of her life, although he still wished she were in another line of work, but she meant the world to him. As he prepared to leave, he placed an affectionate kiss on her temple.

Erik returned to his car and drove off, and as he drove, he thought about Mae and how'd they'd met…

_Mae was beautiful and vivacious, but her ultra-conservative Chinese parents had disowned her and thrown her out to fend for herself when she was just fifteen when it was learned that she was sleeping with her boyfriends. With no resources or options, she quit school and supported herself in the only way she could, by becoming a prostitute. _

_It was about a year later when Erik accidentally encountered her being savagely beaten in an alley by a man. Erik had rescued her and tended to her wounds, learning of her sad and lonely life. He befriended her and helped her obtain her education. Six years later she graduated from college and made her decision to become a call girl. Erik had tried in vain to dissuade her from such a profession, but she was an adult and went into it with her eyes open. Using the business skills learned in college, she became highly successful, shrewdly investing her earnings, and eventually became very wealthy. She plied her trade infrequently now, only when she chose to, for she no longer needed to do it for money. Though he saw her infrequently, Mae felt deeply indebted to Erik whom she considered her savior. _

As Erik pulled up to the car condo and then made his way back upstairs in the elevator, with Don now out of the picture, he wondered about his means to obtain more morphine. He was going to have to give this a lot of thought...


	65. Regrets

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith and Archeology 101. And farewell to my editor and friend, Musicallover, who has been with me from the beginning. We love you and wish you the best.

Chapter 65

Regrets

_Monday morning_

It had been just two days since Amir had seen Megan and Alex fooling around up in the balcony at the wrap party and he'd thought of little else since. Joanna was no longer of concern to him for all he cared about was getting Megan back. It was obvious that Megan and her boyfriend were physical now, but he couldn't believe that it was really over…it was just a feeling he had. Although Megan hadn't responded to his letter, she did attend the wrap party at his invitation even if she did arrive with Alex.

He didn't know if he was already too late or not, but he had to try again. He would write her another letter and ask her to meet with him. If she refused or told him unequivocally to leave her alone, then he would respect her wishes. But until then, he had to keep trying.

He was thankful for the week's hiatus. Although it really didn't apply to him, it would give him a break from rehearsals and the theatre would be blissfully quiet. And best of all, he wouldn't have to see Joanna or deal with Victoria Rinaldi's ridiculous tantrums. He sat down at the desk in his study and pulled out a pad of paper. This letter had to be perfect.

_

* * *

Monday noon_

Christine and Megan were having lunch in the cafeteria and were comparing notes on their eventful weekend. Megan was trying to explain Alex's strange behavior as she munched on a carrot stick.

Christine was incredulous. "You're kidding. He was going to take you to his place and then he changed his mind by the time you got out of the bathroom? What do you think happened?"

Megan gave an exaggerated shrug. "I have no idea. He just said he thought he saw someone, but he didn't say who, and then he said he wanted to make it another night. He did look kind of peaked like maybe he didn't feel well, so he just took me home."

"Hm, weird." Christine sipped her ice water.

"So how'd your evening go with Erik? Did you guys leave early?"

Christine remembered her conversation with Roan. "Yes, we did. I talked to Roan earlier while Erik was over talking with Amir, and he told me some pretty unbelievable stuff."

"Such as?"

"That Erik broke his arm."

Megan stared at her. "No way."

"Apparently it was true. When I asked Erik about it, he said he did it in self-defense. It seems Roan tried to attack him in the parking garage. Erik tried to make him stop, but he wouldn't, so he had to break his arm."

Megan was wide-eyed. "Why would he attack Erik in the first place?"

"He said it was because Roan blamed him for my not being able to love him."

"This is too weird."

"Tell me about it. And it gets weirder."

Megan sipped her water. "Okay."

"When I asked Roan why Erik would break his arm, he said that people on drugs do all kinds of things. He insisted that Erik took drugs, so I asked Erik about that, too, and he denied it. Why do you suppose Roan would lie like that?"

Megan looked away briefly as she pondered the question. After a few moments she looked back and asked, "How do you know he's lying?"

Christine looked at her oddly. "Because Erik said he didn't take drugs."

Megan looked at her steadily. "How do you know Erik's not lying?"

Christine cocked her head to the side, wondering what Megan was playing at. "Megan, Erik doesn't do drugs!"

Megan continued to look at her and then began to nod slowly. "Okay."

_

* * *

Tuesday, 12:30 p.m._

Megan had just returned from school and retrieved her mail as she unlocked her door and dropped her books down in a heap on the chair. She had promised herself that she'd purchase one of those rolling suitcases when she was a freshman, but she'd never quite gotten around to it. Now that she was about to graduate, it was a moot point.

She looked through her mail and saw the usual assortment of solicitations, bills, and…another letter from Amir. She set down the other pieces of mail and quickly opened the elegant linen stationery as she seated herself on the couch. Again, it was beautifully handwritten and brief.

_Dear Megan,_

_I truly regret that we were unable to speak the other night at the wrap party, but I pray there may be another opportunity soon. It comes as no surprise to me that another would so quickly take my place after I forsook the priceless treasure that was mine. Yet now that I have awakened from my stupor, I cannot go quietly and make no attempt to reclaim that which was the most precious and meaningful part of my life._

_You alone loved me with the purest part of yourself, and for the first time in my life, I had known love. There is so much I would tell you, yet I cannot say these words in a letter. I must see you, and therefore humbly request that you meet me tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday, 4:00, at the Japanese Tea Gardens. _

_I wish only for your happiness, mon cheri, and if you choose not to meet with me, then I will know that you have truly started anew and no longer wish me in your life. If that be so, then I will respect your wish and will attempt no further communication. But I do so long to see you, Megan, and pray that I will see you soon. _

_Amir_

Megan was breathing shallowly as she finished the letter. _He still has that effect on me… _And then she noticed that there was a second page. She brought it forward and saw that it was a poem.

_For Megan_

_In the strands of your hair,_

_where supple shafts of light_

_burn brightly,_

_all the way to the tips,_

_and then come to rest_

_on the calm pool of your body._

_In the turns of your shape,_

_where the faint scent _

_that lingers on your skin_

_buries itself among the shadows there,_

_And in the gentle, pressing heat_

_that comes,_

_In the fabric of your hands,_

_in the stillness that sets_

_on the lining of your palm,_

_where the folds of your skin_

_tell the story of you,_

_See me._

_And find me_

_there unchanged,_

_unbroken, _

_and filled with you._

Megan closed her eyes and laid back on the cushions, holding the letter across her chest and wondered, _how can a man say so much without coming right out and saying it? _

* * *

Alex was having a rough day and he felt that being a public defender definitely had its drawbacks. He was having lunch in his office but was due back in court. He stared at Megan's picture and decided to call her. He knew she was on her lunch hour.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Megan? It's me, baby."

"Hi, Alex, are you at work?" She was still lying on the couch holding Amir's poem.

"Yeah, but I have to be back at 1:30. I was just looking at your picture and decided to see what my favorite ballerina was doing for dinner tomorrow evening?"

"Oh...uh…" Megan was looking at Amir's letter…he wanted to see her. "I, uh…"

"Did I catch you at a bad time? It sounds like you were in the middle of something."

"Um, yeah…I was, kind of…" Megan's mind went blank.

"Well, I won't keep you. Do you think you'd like to get together tomorrow evening?"

"Um, yes, of course, but…" Megan didn't know what to tell him. "…but, I'm not sure if I can..."

"Oh, did you already have some other plans? Well, that's okay then. I really did want to see you, but we can make it another time if that'd be better for you."

"Yes…maybe that'd be better," she said awkwardly. "Thank you."

"Well, I'd better get back now. We'll talk soon, okay, _chiquita?" _

"Yes, have a good day, sweetheart. Bye."

Megan put the phone down and took a deep breath. _Good grief, get a grip! _She rose and went to the kitchen to get something to drink. She had all tonight and tomorrow to think about whether or not to meet Amir.

_

* * *

Tuesday afternoon_

Alex was still in court and the parties were deadlocked. He had just cross-examined a hostile witness and he was frustrated. He turned away, considering his next question, when he briefly glanced into the stands. For the briefest moment he thought he saw someone as his eyes swept the room. He brought his eyes back quickly, searching, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. _Am I going to start see shadows everywhere I go?_ he wondered.

When it was 4:00 they were dismissed, the matter being continued to another date. _This case will take forever _he thought. He conferred briefly with his client before closing his briefcase and returning to his office. He was looking forward to going home and relaxing for the remainder of the evening and wondered what Megan would be doing.

It was a quarter to five when his phone rang.

"This is Alex," he answered automatically.

"_Te acuerdas?"_

Alex froze. "Juan?" he whispered.

"You remembered," came the voice.

"Where are you?" He was still in shock.

"I'm here. I want to see you, but not now. Tomorrow."

"It's been two years…why did you come back?"

"Things have changed. I can explain it to you when I see you."

Alex hesitated. He wasn't certain he wanted this meeting. "No…I can't."

"You can't, or you won't?"

Alex's anger flared. "Take your pick," and he hung up. He sat unmoving for several minutes, his thoughts racing. _After all this time, why did you come back? _He looked at Megan's picture and wished he could see her. He always felt better when she was with him…

_

* * *

Tuesday evening_

Amir was setting up the chess pieces as Erik prepared yet another margarita recipe. He'd already prepared the hors d'oeurvres and placed them attractively on a platter in the living room. He brought the beverages in on a tray and placed them on the table. "Cadillac Margaritas," he announced.

Amir took a sip and nodded. "It's good, I like it."

Erik took his seat opposite him. "Remember Don?"

"Your supplier? What about him?"

"I got rid of him."

Amir froze. "You didn't kill him?"

Erik gazed coolly across the table. "The thought did occur to me, but no, I didn't kill him. But I did scare him into leaving the state. Mae helped."

"Then it must have been fun. I like her."

"Yes, she's a treasure."

"So what will you do now that he's gone? Find another source?"

Erik shook his head. "No, never again. I want to get away from it, but I've still got my last order at home."

"What are you going to do with them?"

Erik hesitated. "I know I should throw them out…but, it's all I'll ever have. What if I need it again?"

"What would you have done before if you didn't have them?"

Erik knew very well what he would have done. "I probably wouldn't be here talking to you."

_Amir already knew this and couldn't judge him. He knew what kind of life Erik had had before he worked for the shah. Though brilliant, he'd always been reviled because of his appearance. Even with the mask, he'd been the object of ridicule and fear, and all of his experiences with women had been disastrous. When his genius came to the attention of the shah, he soon became a powerful and trusted member of the royal court, and he and Erik had worked closely together. The shah rewarded them generously for their services, and this included unlimited access to opium and morphine. They proved invaluable at the time, allowing them to live with and carry out the deeds they'd been assigned. Those were dark times, and the drugs enabled them to carry out their missions completely, heinous as they occasionally were. Amir had been end his drug use upon their escape from the country for he had other diversions…women and wealth. But Erik had no one, and wealth could not keep him warm._

"I don't suppose Christine knows."

"Of course not. She'd never understand, and she'll never know."

Amir looked at him sympathetically. "It's your decision, mon ami, but I would encourage you to get rid of it immediately. You've just reconciled with Christine. You don't want anything to get between you again."

"That's easy for you to say, old man," Erik said irritably. "You didn't go through what I did…and there was a time when you took it, too."

"Yes, but those were different times, different circumstances."

"It's just that…I never thought I'd ever be with Christine again," he said softly. "I know I have to get rid of it, but I'm afraid of what might happen when I need it. And I always need it eventually."

"Then you have a choice to make, my friend. Which do you love more?"

_

* * *

Wednesday evening_

It was a quarter to four and Amir stood on the bridge that crossed a large duck pond at the Japanese Tea Gardens. He leaned on the wooden railing as he looked at the water, watching the ducks and their chicks swimming behind them. It was a tranquil setting in contrast to his nervousness and uncertainty. He had no idea how he could ever convince Megan to forgive him and give him another chance, but by this time, he was willing to do anything. The thought of her with Alex, giving him her love, her body, and her devotion was almost too much to bear, and the memory of them in the balcony was a constant source of torment. He had to get her back. His longing was intense and he was in actual physical pain. _Is_ _this what being in love is like?_

He glanced down at his watch and noticed that it was after four. He looked down the path but didn't see anyone approaching. _She's normally very punctual…maybe she's running late due to traffic…_

He again felt the pain of his torment for he knew now that she was not coming. He covered his eyes. _She's not coming…_

"Amir?"

He glanced up. Megan was no more than a few feet away. He smiled in his relief. She had never looked more beautiful. "Thank you for coming, cheri."

"I'm sorry I'm late."

"That's all right, my dear, you're here now, and that's all that matters."

They began to walk along the path. It was a little cool, but not overly so, and the sun was still out, casting dappled shadows from the trees along the walkway.

"I wasn't certain you'd come," he said after awhile, "but I'm so glad you did."

"I wasn't sure if I should," she admitted, "but I felt I had to, to make sure." She paused. "Your poem…it was beautiful."

Amir's heart warmed at these words, and he wished he could take her hand as they walked. "Megan…I've missed you," he said softly. "I've never been in a situation like this before, and I've made such a mess of things. I'm so sorry for everything I've done. I know that you tried to tell me, but I didn't listen. I deserve everything that's happened, but…I can't just let this go. I was stupid."

They walked along quietly for awhile. Megan thought about his words, what he was feeling, and what he now felt for her. He had been the love of her life, and he had betrayed her…

"I've missed you, too…but a lot's changed. When I saw you with Joanna, I wanted to die. You meant everything to me, and I didn't think I'd ever recover, but then I met Alex and things began to change."

"Are you happy with him?" He hadn't wanted to ask, but he needed to hear her say it.

Megan nodded gently. "I am. He really cares about me, and we're happy together."

Amir looked sad. "Then I'm happy for you, too. I'm sure he's a good man, for you deserve nothing less, but…" At this, he looked away, and he looked as though he were having difficulty speaking.

"Amir…are you all right?" Megan put her hand on his arm. She was becoming concerned by his strange behavior. She'd never seen him like this.

"No…I'm not all right," he said brokenly.

It was obvious at this point that he was trying to hold himself together.

"Megan…I'm sorry for everything. I was wrong, and I apologize." He shook his head miserably and she could see that his eyes were glistening. "Megan, I love you," he whispered.

She was stunned. She had waited so long to hear him say it, and now, when she was with Alex. A tear rolled down her face, and then two. "I'm sorry," was all she could say.

Amir closed his eyes and turned away as his tears finally fell. His heart was broken and empty. He knew this was all his own doing. For as long as he lived, he would never forgive himself.

_Author's note: The poem was by my friend Glaen Redeker. _


	66. Resistance

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Penmora Zenith and Archeology 101.

Chapter 66

Resistance

_Wednesday afternoon_

Erik was in his studio as he had been for most of the day. He was thinking about Christine, as he found her to be a source of inspiration for his music, and he'd created three melodies that he planned to develop into full scores. He looked out the window towards the bay and could see the reflection of the sun upon the water in the distance, and he was reminded of Christine's eyes when she smiled. It had been three days since he'd seen her, but he liked that there were spaces of time between their get-togethers when they would neither see nor speak with one other. Although he thought of her often and always felt a longing for her, they never felt smothered by the other's attention or became tired of their company. And when they came together again, it was always a wonderful, joyous time for them both. His heart warmed even as he thought of her.

It had been over a month since they'd started dating again, including the time Christine had still been dating Roan, but he'd never made any advances or attempted to touch her in all that time aside from kissing her. It would have been safe to say, however, that it'd been on his mind constantly, but ever since the debacle with Joanna, he never wanted Christine to think that his only interest in her was for sex, even though it was becoming more and more difficult keeping his passions in check as they spent more time together. Many times over the past several weeks he'd been sorely tempted to invite her to his apartment or to even make love to her in the car, but he'd resisted painfully, returning home to masturbate for relief. He was fairly certain that Christine would have accepted any advances he'd made, but he wanted everything to be perfect this time. He couldn't lose her again.

He wondered if she would enjoy visiting the MOCA with him Friday evening. And afterwards, she could come over to his place…

* * *

Another rough day. Alex really did enjoy his job, but he'd known up front that a public defender's job would be thankless and there would be more defeats than victories, though the victories he did have were sweet. But it was all par for the course, for Adrian's averages were about the same. 

He unlocked the door to his apartment and set his briefcase down by his desk as he walked into the bedroom to undress. He just wanted to shower and relax and then fix something to eat. He needed a vacation. _I wonder if Megan would like to take a cruise down to Mexico with me when she finishes school? _

He walked into the bathroom with his robe and ran the shower. He stepped under the hot water and let it wash away the day's stress. He thought about what he would do tonight once he got out of the shower, maybe watch some TV, perhaps touch base with Megan. _What would it be like to take a shower together? I'd love to make love to her in the shower. _As he thought about it, he thought it was rather amazing that he still hadn't tried to make love to her after almost a month. They'd almost had their chance last weekend if Juan hadn't shown up… He thought about his parents then and smiled. _They'd be so thrilled if Megan and I ever got married._

When he stepped out of the shower, he put on his robe and draped a towel around his neck. He vaguely recalled Adrian mentioning in passing that he might stop by tonight, but he seriously doubted that his friend would make it. By the time he'd walked into the kitchen, he had spaghetti on his mind. He was about to put on a pot of water when there was a knock at the door. _Adrian…why am I not surprised?_

He opened the door and was about to let him in when he stopped cold. It was Juan. He was dressed in camel-colored trousers and a dark pullover sweater, the three buttons at the neck unbuttoned and his sleeves pushed up. His hair looked a little wind blown, and he looked _great._

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were expecting me," he smiled. He noticed the water from Alex's hair trickling down his chest...

Alex stared back in shock. Two years had apparently not harmed him in the least for Juan looked even more handsome and alluring than he remembered. _He looks like a fucking model..._

"Are you going to invite me in?" he asked, still with that maddening grin.

Alex stepped back, but didn't say anything.

"You can run but you can't hide from me, Alejandro," he said smoothly as he stepped over the threshold.

"What are you doing back here?" Alex asked, his voice strained.

Juan turned aside to look at him. "I told you I'd explain when I saw you, but you didn't want to see me, so I had no choice but to come over. It was either that or show up at your office."

Alex led the way into the living room and they sat comfortably in two overstuffed chairs, staring at one another. "So tell me why you're here now."

"My father died a few months ago, and mom went to live with my sister in San Diego. There's no one left here for me to embarrass, so I came back…for you."

_Juan's parents had been very prominent in the Hispanic community. His attorney father and nurse mother were very active in civic affairs and were often the voice of the Hispanic population to government leaders. Very religious and conservative, they were unable to accept his bisexuality when he came out to them, and they considered it an abomination. Although his mother was able to close her eyes to it, he and his father had many arguments until he finally decided to leave in order to spare his family further grief and embarrassment. _

_During this time, he and Alex had been lovers for over a year. They'd been very happy and madly in love and had even spoken of someday legalizing their union. When Juan revealed to Alex his plans to move to Washington state, Alex became frantic and offered to move with him, but Juan refused for he knew that Alex was extremely close to his family, and taking him away would only cause deep resentment in the long run. When he moved away, Alex went crazy and began a self-destructive spiral that no one could understand, except for Adrian, who had known of their affair. His loving family and friend rallied to help him, and in time, the black clouds that nearly crushed him were lifted. After his recovery, he swore that he would never again allow himself to fall so hopelessly in love with anyone because things could always change. In the years since, he'd successfully purged Juan from his heart and mind. The feelings he now had for Megan were exclusive and not compromised by feelings for anyone else, and he wanted to keep it that way._

Alex shook his head. "No. I've got a girlfriend now."

"Yes, Megan. She's very pretty. Have you slept with her yet?"

"That's none of your business," he said annoyed, and he stood. "I'm going to put some clothes on." He turned and left Juan in the living room. He walked into his bedroom and looked around for something comfortable to lounge around in and hung up his robe. He hoped Juan would leave soon…

"You're still beautiful," came a voice behind him.

Alex turned quickly and saw that Juan was looking at him appreciatively.

"I didn't say you could come in here," he said angrily.

Juan looked at him evenly as he leaned against the door frame. "You're afraid of me. Why is that, Alejandro?"

"I'm not afraid of you," he said impatiently as he pulled on a pair of knit pants and a long-sleeved knit top. "I had a hard day at work and I just wanted to relax, not entertain guests."

"I didn't come here to be entertained," he said easily as he stepped into the bedroom. "It's been a long time since I've been here." He looked at the bed and then laid down across it, propping himself up on an elbow and unintentionally striking a provocative pose. "I've missed you, Alex. You don't know how much."

Alex gazed at him on his bed as unbidden thoughts returned of their times together…good times, happier times in bed together…

Alex turned away. _No, I won't go through it again… _"You don't know what I went through when you left. I almost had a nervous breakdown. It took a long time for me to get over you."

"But I'm back now. I've got an apartment and soon I'll have a job. I'm here to stay, and I won't go away again. We can be together again, like before."

"No, I'm with Megan now, and I want to keep her. She might even be the one I marry someday."

"You may be in love with her, but you can't tell me that you don't feel something when you look at me. I know you, and I can tell that you still want me. Can you deny it?"

Alex glared at him. "You shouldn't have come here. I'm in love with Megan, and you're not getting in the way."

"I didn't come here to get in the way of anything. But can you honestly say that you feel nothing for me, that you no longer love me or want me?"

"That's right, Juan, I don't love you any more, I've gotten over you…and I don't want you."

He gazed at him silently and then said softly, "You're lying."

That was it, he'd had enough. "Get out, Juan, get out of my apartment, _get out!" _he shouted.

Juan looked at him silently before he rose from the bed and walked out of the room. Alex followed him to the door, but before he left, Juan took something out of his pocket and laid it on the side table. "Here's my address and phone number, if you should change your mind."

The moment he was on the other side of the threshold, Alex closed the door firmly and locked it. He picked up the scrap of paper that Juan had placed on the table and saw an address that showed he lived in Pacific Heights, but he crumpled it and tossed it in the trashcan next to the table.

As he walked into the kitchen to put on a pot of water for the spaghetti, he thought about their conversation. It had been two whole years, and Juan had the nerve to think they could just pick up where they'd left off. _Amazing_. He was with Megan now, and he wanted to move on with his life. Had he and Juan stayed together two years ago, it would have caused more problems than not. His parents would have been crushed to learn of their son's sexual orientation, not to mention the fact that they would never have grandchildren, which had always been important to them. He loved his parents and had always been very close to them. He was grateful for their loving support through thick and thin, and when he'd graduated from law school, it had fulfilled one of their fondest hopes for their children. Their next hope was that he would marry a nice Hispanic girl and have grandchildren, but in this day and age, they would be happy if he just found a nice girl regardless of her ethnicity to love and start a family with. And as he had mentioned to Juan, perhaps Megan would be the one.

As the water slowly heated, he went to the pantry for a package of spaghetti and a jar of chunky spaghetti sauce to heat, and then grabbed a bag of ready-made salad from the fridge. As he prepared his dinner, he recalled a time when he used to enjoy cooking lavish gourmet meals…when he'd been with Juan. He tried to shake this thought from his mind, but others quickly took its place. At one time, Juan had been his whole life, and his future. Juan was out of his life now and he was free to move on with Megan. Yes, he would move on with Megan…

* * *

The main auditorium of the Phil was strangely dark and silent. Amir sat in his favorite seat in the balcony as he looked down upon the empty stage, myriad thoughts running through his mind as he sat unmoving. The last six months had been the most meaningful of his life, yet like most things, it was something one never realized while in the midst of it, but only after it was over. As he thought back over the times he'd spent with Megan, he felt a deep pain in his heart, one that never went away. It just sat there, burning like a low ember until his memories would stoke it to brightness again. He wondered how long such a pain would last before time and circumstance would push it back to become distant memory. Since he had nothing to compare it to, he had no idea how long such a thing would take. For all he knew, it would never go away. 

He sighed and wondered if he should go up and visit Erik later today. At least he and Christine were doing well. He was glad for his friend for Erik had spent too much of his life alone. He on the other hand had never really been alone before, until now. Even now he could go out and find female companionship or sex, but it was different when you realized what you'd lost, and next to that, nothing else could compare. In a very real sense, he was very much alone…but perhaps he'd always been, yet had never realized it…

He shook his head. Becoming philosophical about it now wasn't helping, and he wasn't sure at this point what would be helpful. He'd considered calling one of his old girlfriends and getting together with her, but then decided against it. Since his meeting with Megan, he hadn't had the desire to sleep with anyone.

_If you could change one thing that's happened, what would it be?_ his conscience asked.

_I would never have taken Joanna under my wing. It was my own ego that thought I could be immune to her charms. And when Megan tried to warn me, I took it as an affront and pushed her away. She knew what was happening before I did and tried to warn me, but I didn't listen. If only I'd listened…_

_Megan is happy again, as she should be. She'll be auditioning for the Phil soon and will no doubt be accepted. I won't interfere in her life…I just want her to be happy…_

Amir sighed again as he looked upon the darkened stage, and then he stood and made his way to the elevator that would take him back up to his office.

_

* * *

Wednesday evening _

EDupont: Good evening, Christine.

AriaMaven: Good evening, Erik. How are you, sweetheart?

EDupont: I'm well, thank you. Did you have plans for Friday evening?

AriaMaven: No, not yet.

EDupont: Would you care to accompany me to the MOCA?

AriaMaven: What's the MOCA?

EDupont: It's the Museum of Contemporary Art. It's in the Cultural District.

AriaMaven: I'd love to. What time?

EDupont: I'll pick you up at six. We can eat there, and then come up to my place.

AriaMaven: I'll look forward to it.

EDupont: Wonderful. Goodnight, my sweet.

AriaMaven: Goodnight, darling.

_

* * *

Wednesday night _

Megan had just washed her hair and was now blow-drying it, which took about a half an hour due to its length. She was wearing an oversized tee shirt over a pair of panties and a pair of socks. When she finished, she went to the kitchen to make a cup of chamomile tea and a plate of snacks and then settled in front of the television to watch a nature program that had to do with strange creatures of the sea.

The program was interesting to be sure, showing newly discovered creatures that had never before been seen, but after thirty minutes, she couldn't remember anything the narrator had said. She was thinking about her meeting with Amir earlier today and what it meant. He had never been one to show emotion, but today, he'd been reduced to tears. She had wondered if he could ever change from being a playboy, but after today, she believed it was possible. He'd never struck her as the type to ask a woman twice for anything, but now, she could finally believe that he truly did regret his actions and wanted her back. She thought about his two letters, and his poem. The nature program was talking about vampire squid now, but she didn't hear a word.

He had betrayed her, but he would always be the love of her life. She couldn't change that, but she was with Alex now. _He would never betray me like Amir did_. She wanted to see Alex now, or at least talk to him. She went over to her telephone and was about to pick it up to call him when it rang loudly, making her jump.

"Hello?" she said shakily.

"Hi, _chiquita, _it's me. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

Megan sighed in relief. "No, actually I'm glad you called. I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh? About what?"

"Nothing in particular, I just wanted to hear your voice." _How lame is that? _she thought.

"Oh, well, actually, that's why I called you, too. How was your day?"

"It was okay, how was yours?" Megan couldn't believe this conversation.

"It was fine," he replied. "Anything new or unusual happen?"

"Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know. Anything?"

"No, I don't think so. What about you? Anything unusual happen in court?"

"Nope."

They were silent for awhile.

"Megan?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to get together Friday after work? I thought we could have dinner here and just spend a quiet evening at home."

"That sounds good."

"Great, can you come by seven?"

"Sure. I'll see you then, sweetheart."

"Okay, goodnight, baby."

Megan hung up and returned to the TV. She felt a little better after having spoken with him and they'd made plans for Friday.

_So why does it still feel funny?_

* * *

Alex hung up the phone and went to rinse off his dinner dishes. He was feeling that he and Megan needed to get closer, and a quiet evening at home would be nice. They would talk, maybe watch a movie, and perhaps she would even spend the night. Yes, that's what they would do. 

_Why does it feel like I'm trying too hard?_

When he finished rinsing the dishes, he went to his bedroom and turned on his laptop to read the online news as he relaxed on the bed. He was online for less than five minutes when an IM window popped up.

MalachiHunter: Don't you ever change your screen name?

Alex was shocked. This was the first time in over two years he'd received an instant message from Juan.

DLawya: Don't you? Besides, mine makes more sense. Yours is just arbitrary.

MalachiHunter: Yours is a joke. I like my name.

DLawya: I'm surprised you still remember my screen name.

MalachiHunter: I had you on my buddy list even after I moved. It was comforting to see you online even though I never contacted you. I thought it was for the best.

There was a pause.

MalachiHunter: Still angry with me?

DLawya: No, I'm not angry.

MalachiHunter: Have you thought about our conversation?

DLawya: You know I have.

MalachiHunter: What have you decided?

DLawya: I've decided that I don't want to see you. As a matter of fact, I don't want you calling me or IM'ing me any more either. I've made a new life for myself, no thanks to you, and I don't need you back in my life bringing me any more drama.

MalachiHunter: You're doing it again.

DLawya: Doing what?

MalachiHunter: You're lying. You know you could never lie to me, Alex.

DLawya: Fuck you.

_DLawya has signed off._

Alex turned off his computer and closed the lid harder than he meant to. He strode into the kitchen, fuming, and he grabbed a bottle of whisky from a cabinet and poured some roughly into a shot glass, not caring if he spilled some. He downed it quickly, the shock of the burning liquid catching him off guard in the midst of a random thought, and it went down the wrong pipe. He choked and hacked loudly, hanging onto the counter for support until he was finally able to catch his breath, and he laid his head on his arm across the counter, breathing deeply.

_Damn it, Juan…I don't want you. You left me once and you were never supposed to come back. Why can't you just stay out of my life…_

* * *

Juan closed the lid on his laptop and set it aside. He was in his pajama bottoms and was watching the news from his bed when he'd turned on his computer and saw Alex online. He'd debated on whether he should IM him or not since Alex had been angry with him from the last time they'd spoken, but then he'd thought, _what the hell, why not…_

Now Alex was angry with him again, but he wasn't really worried for he knew that Alex was in the midst of a fight, a battle of wills within himself. _Alex may think he's fallen in love with Megan, but he can't deny what we had. I can see his struggle whenever he looks at me. I'm still in his heart, and it'll eventually make itself known whether he wants it or not._

Given time, he could imagine Alex succumbing to him without him having to go out of his way to make him. Eventually, Alex's own desires would lead him back to what he remembered of their relationship. Juan had seen it happen many times. He and Alex had been deeply in love, and it was unreasonable to think that such a love could die in the span of a couple years…

_

* * *

Thursday morning, 2 a.m. _

Erik had been working on a particularly complex piece all day and night and was loathed to stop when he was on the verge of a breakthrough, even when his body screamed for rest. As he sat in his overstuffed chair in the living room, he'd occasionally nod off while mentally working out the melody and Anubis would hop up on his lap and go to sleep with him. He had jerked himself awake twice, but would then fall back to sleep…

_He and Christine had finished having dinner at her apartment and they were relaxing in the living room. Christine was humming something very familiar, and he wanted very much to hear how she concluded it when Pinecone suddenly knocked something over in the bedroom. Christine jumped up and ran back to her room to see what it was and if anything had broken. As he waited for her to return, he went into the kitchen to make some tea and put on the tea kettle. He wondered if she had any green tea and reached for a small box that had _TEA_ inscribed on the top. It seemed heavy for a tea box, and when he opened it, he was shocked by what he found. There were two sealed glass vials that he recognized immediately, as well as a syringe and rubber tie. He was stunned. _

"_WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT!" Christine was staring at him in horror, holding the opened tea box._

"_You're on morphine?" he asked softly._

"_Erik," she said hesitantly, "it's not what you think. I'm not addicted to it, I just use it once in awhile when I need to."_

"_And how often is that?" he asked._

"_Not often at all, just when I really need something to help calm me down…" She approached him and took the box from him, replacing the lid, but he grabbed her arm roughly and pulled up her sleeve so he could see her arm clearly, causing her to drop the box, shattering the contents._

"_Erik!" She stared in horror at the broken vials as Erik looked at her arm._

_Needle marks, the tracks discolored and bruised…not the mark of a casual user. _

_Erik looked at her, with love and pity, and her face began to change. Although it was still Christine, both sides of her face now became what lay under his mask…_

Erik awoke screaming, almost falling out of the chair. Anubis leaped off his lap and scrambled to hide under his bed. Now fully awake, he was immensely relieved that it was just a dream, but it had seemed so real. He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. _I need a vacation…_

He rose up from the chair and turned out the lights as he made his way to the bedroom. He was about to get undressed for bed, but then turned to the picture that hid his wall safe. He moved the picture aside and opened the safe, reaching in to the very back and retrieving the five vials of morphine. He looked at them in his hands and made a decision.

He brought the vials with him into the kitchen and set them on the countertop while he walked to the pantry and brought out a small can of gourmet coffee. He unscrewed the lid and saw that it was still about three-quarters of the way full. He carefully opened the first vial and poured the contents into the ground coffee, then opened the remaining vials in turn and did the same thing. When he was done, he returned to the pantry and brought out a bottle of white vinegar. He poured enough in the can so that there was a layer of vinegar on top. When he finished, he screwed the lid back on the can and then wrapped it in a plastic bag, which he then placed in the kitchen trash. Of course, it would have been much easier if he'd just dumped the morphine down the drain or in the toilet, but since reading about groundwater contamination from people throwing their old medications in the toilet, he was determined not to add to their number. At least this way it would be isolated in a landfill.

That done, he looked towards his bedroom. He had one vial left in his music box. He'd just gotten rid of five vials, but he was hesitant to get rid of the last one just yet. He would hide it so it wouldn't be a temptation, but he would get rid of it when he was ready.

He glanced at the clock and saw that it was 2:30. He needed to get some sleep, but as he walked to his bedroom, he felt strangely liberated. He was no longer under the hold of the morphine and he felt reborn. And tomorrow night, he would see Christine…


	67. Dying

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editors Archeology 101 and Penmora Zenith.

Chapter 67

Dying

_Friday evening_

Erik was happy as he picked Christine up at six and they made their way through early evening traffic to the Cultural District. They were dressed elegantly and prepared to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art. The Phil was the only part of the Cultural Center that Christine had ever visited since she was a child, so she was curious to see the art museum. They parked at the far end of the multi-level parking garage, which was closest to the MOCA, and then took an elevator to the main entrance.

They approached an imposing glass entry that was beautifully etched with _Museum of Contemporary Art _in script, and Christine was surprised to see a crowd of elegantly dressed people already there and wondered if there was a special event scheduled.

"They're holding a reception for a number of the visiting artists," Erik explained as he escorted her through the entrance on his arm. "Their works will be here for a month before they'll be shown at another gallery."

Christine was intrigued by the art crowd. Some of the artists and museum visitors were rather avant-garde, so Erik with his mask fit right in. They helped themselves to some sparkling champagne and hors d'oeuvres as waiters walked through the milling crowd with their trays, and Erik was pleased to see that Christine seemed excited to be there.

Although visual art was neither her forte nor particular area of interest, Christine did find some of the works to be quite beautiful and interesting. When they rounded a corner and approached the works of yet another artist, Christine was captivated by the realism of the paintings. They were definitely beautiful, but one had to stand at a distance to capture the images properly. As she stared forawhile at a particular piece, she imagined that she was seeing another image within the painting. She looked away to clear her vision and then looked back to see if her eyes were playing tricks, but the image was still there when she looked for it.

"Erik…" Christine wanted to show this to him and she reached out for him while still staring at the painting. When she finally tore her eyes away and looked at him, she was surprised to see that he had been staring at her.

"Yes, my dear, what do you see?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

Christine looked back at the painting and could see a herd of gracefully galloping gazelles in the clouds. "How did the artist do that without the aid of a computer?" she asked, the awe evident in her voice.

"The human mind is capable of much more than we realize," Erik said knowingly.

"Who is this artist?" she mused as she approached yet another painting. "He's incredible."

She stepped up to the painting and looked closely for the artist's signature on the bottom right corner of the painting. When she finally found it, it read _E. Dupont._

Christine was stunned, and she looked at Erik wide-eyed. "These are yours?" she whispered in awe.

"They're old," he said as he glanced at them. "I did them over ten years ago."

"Oh my god." Christine placed a hand over her mouth. "I've never seen anything like them in my life…"

"Christine," Erik interjected, "this is truly no more amazing than your own voice. It's just another expression of the same thing," he smiled easily.

When Christine could only look at him in disbelief, he said simply, "Think about it, my dear. It's really all the same thing, it comes from the same place. Here," he touched her head, "and here," and he touched her chest to indicate her heart.

She stared at him, realizing yet again that she was in the presence of one of the greatest minds in the world. She was just as awed by his humility, and her heart swelled with love. _He's the most incredible person I'll ever know in my entire life…_

Erik took her hand as they continued viewing the remainder of the exhibits, but Christine still felt herself amazed...

* * *

Megan and Alex were enjoying dinner at his apartment. He had impressed Megan with his culinary skills, for not only could he cook very well, but he did so with a unique flair, and she also appreciated his extra effort of setting the table with candles, flowers, linen napkins and a white linen tablecloth. As they conversed about work and school, Megan confessed to her growing nervousness over the approaching auditions. Alex was certain that she had nothing to worry about after seeing her dance, but could understand her nervousness since it only involved her professional future, and he tried to encourage her. 

For dessert, Alex served up small bowls of Cherry Garcia, and Megan loved it for it was one of her favorite ice cream flavors, and she was amused when Alex confided that the famous musician Jerry Garcia was a distant relative.

By the time dinner was done, Megan was comfortably full. She offered to help clean up, but Alex insisted that they leave it and retire to the living room to watch a movie. Megan appreciated this break in routine and they cuddled on the couch to watch a first-run romantic comedy, which was hilarious.

It was a little after ten when the movie finally ended, and they were both reclined comfortably on the couch. They spoke quietly together and occasionally laughed at a joke or anecdote, Alex enjoying her closeness and Megan loving the feel of him next to her. After a few minutes, Alex rose from the couch.

"Don't move," he instructed, and he went to the stereo to put on some music. His back was turned to her as he selected a number of CDs, but he suddenly felt Megan come up behind him and wrap her arms around him.

"I told you not to move," he said as he turned and placed his arms around her.

"Really? I must have missed that," she murmured playfully.

He smiled as he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her, tasting her sweetness and smelling her warm scent. Megan could feel his hands caressing her and feeling the contours of the muscles in her back and hips. It was surprisingly arousing and she responded by losing herself in his kiss, sending a clear message that she was ready.

Alex wanted her, now, and he was hard. He startled her as he picked her up easily in his arms, surprising her with his strength, which she thought was _very sexy._

As he carried her to his bedroom, he vaguely thought that she was as light as a feather…

* * *

After Erik and Christine had seen the exhibits at the MOCA, they returned to the car and drove back to the car condo under the Phil. For all the food that had been served at the museum, Christine felt that she'd already had her dinner. When they parked the car and then made their way between the other vehicles on their way to the elevator, Christine remembered the last time she'd been here…when Erik had told her to leave. She was silent as Erik took her hand and they walked to the elevator, and he wondered if she was thinking about that horrible night. 

As they stepped into the elevator and ascended, Erik surprised her by kissing her deeply against the wall. It was a slow kiss, deep and passionate, and Christine could feel herself getting lost in a swirl of clouds…

When the elevator stopped and the doors slid open quietly, they parted, and he looked at her gently. They walked into his living room and Christine saw that little had changed, although there were different pictures of her in the apartment now. Erik turned on the fireplace and some music as she seated herself on the couch, and he went to the kitchen to bring them something to drink. When he returned, he'd removed his jacket and brought a tray with hot green tea in a pot and two mugs.

"Did you enjoy the exhibit, cheri?" he asked as he settled comfortably on the couch.

Christine picked up her mug. "Yes, it was a lot different than I'd thought it'd be. I loved it," she smiled. She recalled his paintings with the images within images and was reminded of the façade of the Phil and the images she'd seen there. _I wonder if he could have designed the Phil? He said he'd helped build the animal enclosures at the zoo, so could he also have designed the Phil? But he would have been in his early 20's. That would've been too young, and they never did find out who had designed it…_

"A penny for your thoughts, my dear?" He saw that she seemed deep in thought as she stared into the fire.

She sipped her tea and smiled. "No, not really. Just wondering about something, but it wasn't important."

Erik reached over and stroked her hair as he gazed at her, studying her…he was starting to feel a tingling. He took her mug from her and placed both of them on the coffee table, and he then turned to her and kissed her gently, then deeply.

Christine melted into his embrace. It was as though she'd been gone forever and had finally returned to where she belonged. She loved the feel of his arms around her, and his lips upon her own, his tongue caressing and entwining with hers. She could feel him in every part of her body and could taste his unique taste and smell his unique scent, and she loved it all. She felt herself consumed by him, and she was falling through an endless tunnel…

"Christine…" he whispered.

He rose from the couch and extended his hand as he gazed at her, his love and desire so plain to see. Christine could almost feel his hunger, and she realized that she was breathing deeply and that a heat was growing in her chest, moving downward. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her bottom lip slightly swollen. She placed her hand in his and he took it gently as he led her to his bedroom.

It had been so long since she'd been here. She had thought she'd never see it again. Erik turned on the fireplace as she looked around the large room. The bookcases, dresser, chair, and bed, which she noticed had a different spread now…everything was still elegant and beautiful.

She sensed Erik behind her, and he began to gently nuzzle her. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against him as he trailed smoldering kisses behind her ear and along her neck, his hands feeling the smoothness of her skin along her neck and shoulders. Christine almost moaned from this wonderful sensation and wondered, _how long has it been since he's touched me?_

She could see herself in the dresser mirror and Erik behind her. He looked so handsome, mysterious…an enigma. He slowly lowered the zipper of her dress and slipped it from her shoulders, as well as her bra straps. He tenderly kissed her shoulders and unhooked her bra, and it fell to the floor with her dress. Christine closed her eyes again so she could feel everything, and she felt his hands cup her breasts and squeeze them, then gently pinch her nipples. She inhaled sharply at this and turned around in his arms so that she faced him, and he kissed her again. She pulled back slightly and slowly began to unbutton his shirt, kissing his chest and then teasing his nipples with the tip of her tongue. Erik closed his eyes at this delicious sensation, and when Christine had finished undoing all the buttons, she embraced him, smelling his sweet scent against his chest.

She could feel the hardness of his length against her stomach and she placed her hand on his crotch to feel him through the fabric of his trousers, which was now very tight. She reached between them to unbuckle his belt, and then undid the single button before lowering his zipper. He inhaled sharply when Christine reached in and took hold of him…it'd been so long since she'd touched him. How he loved the feel of her hand around him. He closed his eyes and was breathing deeply, and he could feel her holding him firmly and then begin to slide the skin of his cock up and down, which drove him crazy.

He removed his shirt, letting it drop, and then pulled off his pants and briefs in one fluid motion. He unexpectedly picked Christine up and laid her across the bed, pulling her panties off and covering her, his body against her fully and his thigh between her legs, forcing them open. He kissed her passionately, his fingers combed through her hair, and Christine wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly with her legs. She was home.

Erik couldn't believe his rapture. Her smooth skin, the taste of her, her womanly smell. He placed his hand upon the mound of her breast and began sucking, teasing, and nipping. It'd been so long since he'd kissed her there, her nipples hardening under his kisses. His hand moved down her torso and across the flat plain of her stomach until his fingers slid through the wet slit between her legs. She moaned when he dipped into her wetness, and this caused him to groan inwardly. His slicked middle finger rubbed over her clit and a small cry left her lips as her back arched and her muscles tightened. _You're mine, __Christine, and I want it... _

Erik lowered himself in the bed until he was between her legs, and he threw her legs over his shoulders so he could bury his face in the lucious folds of pink flesh until his tongue was inside of her, touching her, tasting her juices. _God, I've missed you…you taste so fucking good… I remember this..._

Christine was writhing and moaning from Erik's sublime manipulations, the sensation so incredibly wonderful, her nerve endings tingling throughout her body. But when he turned his attention to her clit and his tongue began to rub and sensuously stroke this naked member, her movements became frantic.

"_Erik, please…fuck me, now, before I come…!"_

He knew she was on the cusp of exploding and impaled her quickly, his rock-hard cock thrusting into her as he pumped madly. Her orgasm struck, and she screamed when she exploded, thrashing violently and loudly with each spasm. He could feel her walls tightening around him as he felt his own impending orgasm, and when it hit, the cry that tore from his throat shocked him, and feeling his semen shoot into her threw his mind into complete and utter chaos. His hips lifted and fell repeatedly as spurt after spurt of hot semen was deposited into her, and when it was finally over, he supported himself above her on his elbows, breathing raggedly. He moved off of her and fell onto his back next to her.

"Oh yeah," he mumbled, exhausted. He looked over at Christine and saw that she was also breathing deeply, her eyes closed. He closed his eyes and allowed his breathing to return to normal. He reached over and found her hand, and he entwined his fingers with hers. "I love you," he whispered, still breathing deeply.

Christine couldn't move, she was too tired and sleepy. "I know," she whispered, a soon a smile was visible upon her lips.

_

* * *

Saturday morning _

When Christine awoke, her first impression was that of comfort, and then happiness. The room was still dark, but it was early morning, about 7:30. She turned her head and saw that Erik was next to her, his head turned toward her, sleeping peacefully. She recalled that last night had been wonderful. It was the first time they had made love since reconciling, and she was so in love with him.

She started to get out of bed when Erik murmured sleepily, "Where're you going?"

She smiled at him and replied softly, "To the bathroom. Any objections?" and he mumbled something incoherent in reply.

She picked up her purse from the chair and fished out her hairbrush and make-up bag, which held her toothbrush, and then made her way to the bathroom. It had been so long since she'd been here. She walked into the bathroom and closed the door, and as she looked around, realized that it was always spotless. She recalled the luxurious baths they used to take together in his enormous tub and hoped they could do so again soon. She wanted to take a quick shower before returning to bed, so she turned to the cabinets behind her and opened one and saw shelves and shelves of beautiful towels made of Egyptian cotton in different sizes, colors, and designs. She thought it was like being in a department store. She selected a bronze-colored bath and face towel in a beautiful geometric design and turned on the shower. Gathering her hair and clipping it out of the way, she stepped under the steaming water. It was luxurious showering in a bathroom that was as large as her bedroom, and everything was at her disposal in the shower…soap, body wash, lotion.

She felt wonderful this morning..._glorious!_ She and Erik were back together again and they had finally made love. She couldn't imagine her life being any more wonderful now…except for perhaps getting accepted at the Phil.

When she stepped out of the shower, she loved drying herself with Erik's towel. She immediately noticed the difference between her towels and this one, which was much more plush, and decided she'd have to purchase a set. When she was done, she opened her make-up bag for her toothbrush and toothpaste, but then decided to see what kind of toothpaste Erik used. She opened a couple drawers next to the sink before she found the toothpaste and wondered if everything he had was special when she saw that it was French. She applied a little to her toothbrush and found that she liked it.

The last thing she did was brush her hair and apply her make-up lightly. She was about to return to the bedroom when she thought about rinsing with mouthwash before getting back in bed with Erik. She opened the medicine cabinet above the sink. She didn't see any mouthwash there but she was impressed by his fancy toothbrush and shaving accessories. She looked under the sink and saw cleaning supplies, and then turned around and decided to look in his other cabinets. She already knew the first one contained towels, so she opened the one next to it and found candles, lotions, soaps, shaving cream…and mouthwash! The label was in French, but fortunately had an English subtitle, and it certainly smelled like mouthwash. She poured a little in the cap and swished it around her mouth before spitting it out in the sink. She rinsed the cap out and replaced it on the bottle and realized that she liked the taste of this French mouthwash better than any she'd ever used before.

She placed the bottle back in the cabinet and was about to close it when she noticed something behind it. It was a music box…the one that used to be on the bookshelf in his bedroom, the one he hadn't wanted her to look in many months ago. Perhaps he still didn't want her to look in it. _But what could possibly be in it that he has to keep secret? _Christine looked towards the door. _This may be the only chance I'll ever have to see what's inside…_

* * *

Erik awoke and noticed immediately that Christine wasn't in bed. He looked over at the clock and saw that it was a little after eight in the morning. Her purse was still on the chair, so she was probably either in the bathroom or in the kitchen. He arose from the bed and slipped on a bathrobe. He walked down the hallway and stopped outside the bathroom door, which was closed. He paused for a moment but heard nothing, so he knocked softly. "Christine, are you in there?" 

After a moment the door opened partially and Christine's face peered out. It was streaked with tears and she was noticeably upset, but she said nothing.

Immediately concerned, he asked worriedly, "Christine, what is it, my love? Are you all right?"

She gazed at him before opening the door wider, and he sensed that she was holding something. When he looked down at her hands, the color drained from his face. She held the music box open, and inside, as he had left it, were the morphine, syringe, and rubber tie.

He was in shock as he looked back to her. "Please, let me explain," he said shakily.

She merely looked at him, her face revealing everything that was on her mind.

"I told you the truth when I told you I didn't use drugs. I don't use it any more."

"When was the last time?" she asked in a whisper. Erik could tell she was on the verge of imploding.

"January. I haven't used it since then, and I don't have any more."

She looked at him as though he were a stranger. He couldn't stand her looking at him that way.

"Christine, please…"

"Let me see your arm," she interrupted.

"Christine…"

"Now."

Erik had never heard her voice so cold. He hesitated, and then slowly raised his left sleeve and extended his arm for her to see.

In the crook of his elbow were a few scars that evidenced post-inflammatory bruising and were black and blue. They were old scars, except for one, which was still red. When he had used drugs, it was obviously habitual.

Christine was stunned as she stared at it and wondered how she could not have noticed it before, but it explained why his arms were always covered. She felt as though the rug had been pulled out from under her…again. She shoved the music box at him and pushed past him to return to the bedroom to get dressed, which she did hurriedly.

"Christine, please, let's talk about this," Erik pleaded as he pulled on his shirt and trousers.

"Please take me home." She wouldn't look at him.

She had gathered her things and was now standing at the elevator. There was nothing more Erik could do. He picked up his keys from the counter and called the elevator, and they were soon descending down to the car condo. Not knowing when he'd have another chance to talk to her, he tried to explain.

"Christine, please believe me. I don't take drugs any more, and I never will again. What you found was the last of it, and I was going to get rid of it. Truly I was! I started taking it when I worked overseas. Because of the type of work I did, I had to take it or it would have killed me. There's no way anyone could have done what I did without taking drugs."

When they'd climbed in the car and driven off, Erik was still trying to explain, but Christine was silent, although her tears had never stopped.

"Christine, please listen to me. I don't take drugs any more. I can't lose you, Christine, I can't, not again… Please, say something!"

She looked at him and said coldly, "I can't be with a drug addict."

By this time, they'd pulled up in front of Christine's apartment building and Erik was at his wit's end. He didn't know what else he could say to her.

As Christine was about to exit the car, she said, "You don't have to walk me up. I'll be fine."

In desperation, Erik grabbed her arm, but tried to remain calm. "Christine, I told you I don't take drugs any more and never would again. Don't you believe me?" he asked wretchedly.

She looked at his hand with loathing, and he slowly released his hold on her.

"I trusted you," she whispered, her eyes glistening. She climbed out of the car and ran into her building and up the stairs to her apartment without looking back.

Erik sat in stunned disbelief. He had lost her again…his life, his love…

He drove home in a fog, and when he arrived back at his apartment, he couldn't remember the drive home. As he walked past his kitchen, he saw the music box with the morphine sitting on the counter where he'd left it when he'd gone after Christine. He picked it up and gently closed the lid, but before he could take another step, he threw it forcefully against the far wall, shattering it and its contents. As he stood there in the room stunned, something terrible was building within him…

* * *

Downstairs, the morning watchman was about to step outside to patrol the grounds when he stopped. Coming from somewhere, he could hear a man's scream…it was horrible, tortured, as though he were dying… 


	68. The Virus

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editor Archeology 101. And a fond farewell to my editor and very dear friend Penmora Zenith. You will be sorely missed!

Chapter 68

The Virus

_Saturday morning _

When Christine was safely on the other side of her apartment door, she closed it swiftly and locked it before falling back against it, covering her face and allowing her tears to fall. She felt like a hollow shell that the slightest force could cause to shatter into a million pieces. _Why? Why did this have to happen NOW? _

She was caught between feelings of regret for prying and opening Erik's music box, and on the other hand, being glad that she did it. If she'd never opened it, they'd still be in bed this morning most likely making love. But now, although her curiosity was satisfied, it was all over. She couldn't believe it was really over.

She walked woodenly to her bedroom and dropped her purse and coat into the chair across from her bed, and unzipping her dress, threw that into the chair as well. Pinecone was sleeping in the middle of her bed and didn't stir even as Christine pulled on a white tee shirt and a pair of dark blue sweatpants and then sat on the edge of the bed. Her emotions were in turmoil and she didn't know what to think any more.

_How did Roan know that Erik took drugs? I wish I could talk to him this morning. He was always so easy to talk to…_

_

* * *

Saturday afternoon _

Megan was sitting at one of the tables just outside Mel's Diner since it was an unusually warm yet overcast day. There was a fair amount of foot traffic due to the muggy weather and Mel's was now catering to the lunch crowd, but Megan had already placed two orders for Caesar salads and iced tea so she wouldn't have to wait long. She'd received a call on her cell phone from Christine a few hours ago asking her if she could meet to talk about something important. Truth be known, she really would've opted to stay in bed with Alex after their amazing first night together, especially since they hadn't fallen asleep until three that very morning, but judging by the sound of Christine's voice, she knew she needed to be there for her. Alex was disappointed that she'd had to leave him, but he understood, especially after she assured him that she would "make it up to him."

It was almost twelve when Christine walked up and sat in the chair opposite her, and their salads had just been brought to them. She was dressed casually with her hair tied back and was wearing a pair of sunglasses, although it wasn't really that bright, and Megan wondered about it.

"Are we trying to hide, or is that a fashion statement?" she teased.

Christine removed her sunglasses and placed them in her purse, but Megan was shocked. Her eyes were red and horribly puffed and swollen.

"Christine…holy shit, what happened?" Megan whispered, her face reflecting her shock.

Christine closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You were right. He takes drugs…and he was a drug addict," she said softly. She unfolded her napkin and placed it on her lap as she prepared her iced tea.

Megan felt as though she was going to hyperventilate. She could only stare at her. "Tell me what happened."

Christine recounted their date at the MOCA and then returning home to Erik's apartment to make love for the first time. "He told me he loved me," she said softly.

She related how she'd found the music box with the drugs. "I know I shouldn't have looked in it, but I really didn't think he needed to hide anything from me. But it's a good thing I found it, otherwise he could have kept it from me for years."

Megan was still in shock. "So is he still using it?" she asked. She took a sip of her iced tea to calm herself.

"He said he hasn't used it since January, but I saw his arm. He had needle marks, and they were dark…you could tell he used to be an addict."

Megan closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wanted Erik and Christine to be together for she'd never seen Christine happier than when she was with him. She just couldn't believe that Erik was an addict, for if he was, then it would mean that Amir would have to be involved in some way as well. There was something wrong with this…

"What did he say when you confronted him?"

Christine snorted in contempt. "He denied it, of course. He said he didn't use drugs any more. But if that was true, then why did he still have it? And it was hidden!"

"Did you ask him?"

"No, of course not, it was obvious! Everything was ready to go…a vial of morphine, a syringe, and a rubber tie. I wanted to call Roan this morning and find out how he knew about Erik taking drugs, but I didn't get around to it."

Megan fell silent, thinking. It seemed too coincidental, and facts were missing...

"Christine, you might not like what I'm going to say, but here's what I think. People who take drugs usually have more than one hit lying around, and you said there was only one vial in the music box, unless he had some more hidden away."

"No, he said he didn't have any more."

"Okay, and you said it was morphine. If he was a drug addict, why would he just have one hit of morphine and not something stronger, like cocaine or heroin or crystal meth? And if the last time he took it was in January, then that would mean he's been clean for three months. That's a long time if he's a drug addict."

Christine couldn't buy it. "But if he wasn't still taking it, then why did he have it hidden away?"

Megan could only shake her head. "I don't know, you need to ask him because he's the only one who could tell you."

Christine closed her eyes and shook her head. "I saw that music box last year and tried to open it, but he didn't let me, and now I know why. He was taking drugs even then. It's really over."

Megan wasn't willing to let this go so easily. "Christine, when you guys broke up the first time, when he told you to leave, you said he didn't listen to you, that he'd already made up his mind that you'd slept with Roan. He didn't even give you a chance to explain. Do you remember telling me that?"

Of course she remembered…she would never forget it. "Yes, I remember."

"Aren't you doing the same thing now? You're probably just as sure of this now as he was back then."

"But, Megan, this is different," she insisted. "I didn't sleep with Roan then, but Erik did take drugs while we were dating. Why are you defending him over this?"

"Christine, it's not that I'm defending him, but it's like you said yourself, it has to do with trust. He told you he doesn't take drugs any more, and apparently that meant since January. If you really love him and want to stay with him, then you _have to_ believe him. Or not."

Christine stared at her over her salad before looking away. She understood what Megan was saying, but she needed to think about this. _It has to do with trust…_

_

* * *

Saturday evening _

Alex had had a great evening last night with Megan, but since she had to leave to tend to her friend Christine, he'd spent the afternoon hanging out with Adrian. It was eight now and they had decided to stop by their favorite watering hole on the wharf, The Gaslight, before heading their separate ways.

"So have you introduced Megan to your parents yet?" Adrian asked over his drink.

"No, not yet, but I will, when the time is right. We're just enjoying ourselves for now. She spent the night last night for the first time," he smiled.

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Really? Congratulations! Good thing, too. If you don't use it, you're liable to forget how," he grinned.

Alex chuckled. "She makes me feel very lucky."

"No, she's the lucky one," Adrian said, clapping him on the back. He drained his drink. "I'd better get going. We'll see you later, _hermano_." Adrian put some money on the bar before taking his leave.

Alex sat at the bar feeling very relaxed and nursed his drink. This had been a good day and he was feeling mellow. He smiled as he thought about Megan and how wonderful it'd been making love last night, and he wondered what she was doing now. He closed his eyes and smiled as he remembered her…

"Bourbon and ice," said a voice next to him to the bartender. The bartender set down a glass with some ice and poured a shot.

"This still your favorite place, Alejandro?"

Alex opened his eyes and didn't turn, but he could see the reflection in the mirror behind the bar. "It always has been. You know that."

Juan sipped his drink. "I've been wanting to talk to you, but you haven't made it easy."

"You don't seem to get it. I don't know how many other ways I can tell you, Juan – I'm not interested."

"No, I did get that part," he said as he fingered his glass. "You're happy with Megan and I'm happy for you, or as happy as I can be under the circumstances. I'm being honest. But I'm not here to try and talk you into coming back to me."

"Then why are you here?" he asked, looking at Juan for the first time.

"Finish your drink, and let's go for a walk," he said softly.

Alex finished his drink and they left the bar. There were still quite a few people on the wharf either leisurely strolling as they window-shopped or who were still dining, the majority of them tourists. They passed the crowded restaurants and gift shops until they were walking along the lighted boardwalk toward the end of the pier. There were a few couples walking or who had stopped for a romantic interlude along the way, but for the most part it was very quiet save for the sound of waves lightly striking the supports under the pier.

They strolled quietly side by side, Alex wondering what Juan wanted to talk about if not to get back together again. Juan finally broke the silence.

"Do you know that we've known each other for five years?" he asked unexpectedly.

Alex thought back. "Yes, it's been about five years. I was a senior in college and you were a graduate student."

"Yes. I remember our first year together…that was a great time. I came over for special occasions and picnics with your family, and you'd come over for dinner and parties at our house."

Alex smiled at the memory. "You know, my sister Maria had the biggest crush on you."

"Did you know she tried to corner me once when everyone was outside? She wasn't as shy as you said she was."

"That explains why she took it so hard when she found out you were bi."

Juan nodded. "It seems everyone took it hard. And after all these years, I still can't understand why. If they really loved me, you'd think they'd support me, but they all pulled away."

"I didn't," Alex said softly.

"No, you didn't."

Juan fondly remembered Alex's parents and sister and how they'd welcomed him as part of their family. He and Alex had met at school and became fast friends, but it hadn't been until he came out to his own parents that everything changed. Word had spread quickly in the traditional Hispanic community that the son of the prestigious Aragons was bisexual. Their friends stopped calling, they no longer received invitations, and their influence in the community had been compromised. He even noticed the change in Alex's family towards him, and he sadly severed his ties with them, except for Alex. He had no idea the backlash would be so severe and thought how backwards his people were, but then finally understood why other gay and bisexual acquaintances refused to come out.

His parents blamed him for their humiliation for it affected not only them, but also his brother and sister, permanently damaging their familial relationship. They had all been so proud of him when he'd graduated college and entered his chosen field. But now, all of that was forgotten, overshadowed by moral implications.

"I loved your parents," Juan said quietly.

"They loved you, too. They still do, but they don't talk about it." Alex hated the intolerance of the Hispanic community when gays and bisexuals were becoming more accepted everywhere else. He knew they would come around eventually, they had to, but it most likely wouldn't happen for a very long time. "I don't think I've ever heard you talk about family so much."

"I've had a lot of time to think about it. That was why I didn't want you to move away with me at the time."

"I know. It took a long time for me to figure it out, but I finally did. Thank you for that." Alex was very close to his parents and sister and cherished that above all else. He could only imagine Juan's pain and regret over having lost that from his own family.

They walked along quietly for awhile until they finally reached the end of the pier. As they stared out at the ocean, Juan asked, "Do you know what people regret most in life?"

Alex wondered if this were rhetorical. "What?"

"When it's all said and done, it's not what we did that we regret, it's the things we didn't do." He turned and said softly, "I'm glad I had a chance to love you. I'll never regret that."

Alex leaned against the railing. "I thought you said you weren't going to try to get me back."

"I'm not," he said with difficulty. He'd controlled his emotions well up to this point, but now he felt his chest tighten and he had to swallow hard before speaking. "I wanted to tell you that I'm HIV positive."

Alex froze. "What?" he whispered.

Juan turned away. He couldn't stand to see Alex's shock as he stared at him.

"It happened when I moved to Washington," he murmured. "I'd been there a couple of weeks and I'd gotten settled in my apartment, but I was going crazy without you. I started partying and eventually got in with this crowd. I started drinking heavily and snorting cocaine with them. After this one big party, I was drunk and high and woke up the next morning with three other people in the room. I don't even remember what happened, but it was obvious that we'd had sex."

Alex shook his head, he couldn't believe this was happening. Everything seemed surreal. "So you came back here just to tell me this?"

"No, I only found out a few months ago after I'd already moved back. I came back when I heard my dad died and mom moved away. I hoped we could get back together again, but you're with Megan now. I didn't come back to ruin things for you, but…I just thought it was something you'd want to know."

Alex didn't know what to say in the face of this devastating news. It was like a nightmare he couldn't awaken from.

Juan looked over at him as he stared out at the ocean, trying to absorb everything. "Goodbye, Alex."

Still in shock, Alex couldn't speak as he watched him walk away. Everything felt strange, as though he were in a cloud…

_

* * *

Saturday night _

It was eleven by the time Alex returned home. After Juan had left him, he'd walked aimlessly around the boardwalk and among the shops to think. He thought about his time spent with Megan and about what he'd hoped for their future. He knew he was falling in love with her.

And then he thought about Juan. There was truly nothing that could bring one's feelings into focus faster than facing life and death with someone you love. Yes…he still loved him.

_Damn you, Juan. You knew what this would do to me…_

Alex walked into his bedroom and undressed, pulling on a pair of pajama bottoms and a tee shirt. He then walked over to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face before getting in bed, his thoughts unorganized. As he left the bathroom, he paced around his apartment aimlessly, nervously, and knew that he couldn't go to bed just yet. He retrieved his laptop and brought it to the bed with him. He didn't know enough about HIV or AIDS at this point, so he wanted to do some research and get some answers.

Within fifteen minutes, he learned that most people with HIV now lived an average of ten years or more without coming down with full-blown AIDS, depending upon their health and medical regimen. He knew that Juan had always been in excellent health, so he found this encouraging. People had died fairly quickly back in the 80's when AIDS first came on the scene, but due to the tremendous amount of AIDS research, medicines had been developed to greatly increase their life expectancy.

Alex closed his computer. He felt better having found the information he needed, but he was devastated by what this meant for Juan. He closed his eyes as he lay back on the bed. It was like a horrible dream and he couldn't do anything about it. He'd never been faced with anything he couldn't handle before. Even when Juan had moved away, he'd eventually adjusted, albeit after going crazy for awhile, but he'd pulled through. But this…this would never go away. He didn't honestly believe there would be a cure for a very long time, just as there was still no cure for cancer, but perhaps medical science could still extend his life eventually even more than they already had.

He thought about Megan again and then realized that even she couldn't make this better, and he finally fell into a deep but troubled sleep.

_

* * *

Sunday _

AK1000: Good morning, Erik.

EDupont: What do you want?

AK1000: I wanted to know if you could stand some company. I haven't seen you in a few days.

EDupont: No.

AK1000: No? Why not?

EDupont: I don't want to see anybody.

Amir thought this sounded strange even for Erik and wondered if something was wrong.

AK1000: Are you all right?

EDupont: No.

AK1000: I'll be there in a few minutes.

He signed off before Erik could object. As he left the apartment and drove over, he wondered about Erik's online demeanor. He seldom IM'd him, but when he did, Erik had always been abrupt with him, as though he said whatever was on his mind without bothering with social niceties. Amir wondered if this was because they were close friends or because he spoke to everyone that way online. He seriously doubted he spoke to Christine that way. Perhaps someday he would ask him about it.

He arrived at the Phil within a few minutes and parked in the car condo. He rode the elevator up to Erik's floor and then knocked on his door.

"Come."

He thought Erik sounded somewhat strained as he let himself in, but then stopped before he'd taken two steps. The floor of the living room was littered with papers, broken glass, and all manner of debris. All the books and photographs had been knocked off the shelves and lay scattered on the floor, as well as all the glasses and bottles from the bar.

Amir looked for Erik among the rubble and broken pieces of furniture and finally found him seated before the fireplace, which was unlit but littered with glass.

"Did you have a break-in?" Amir asked as he slowly approached him.

Erik didn't look up, but merely shook his head. "No," he said quietly. "I did it."

Amir sat and faced him on the opposite end of the couch. "Why?"

"Christine's gone," he whispered.

"What do you mean? Gone where?"

"I destroyed the morphine I had in the safe, but I had one left in the music box, along with a syringe. Christine found it, and she left. It's over."

"But you said you didn't take it any more."

"I don't. I was going to throw it away when I was ready, but she found it before I could do that. I tried to explain, but she thought I was lying. Now she thinks I'm a drug addict. She even looked at my arms and saw the tracks." He spoke quietly, almost to himself.

Amir understood how Erik felt. It was no doubt the way he felt when Megan had refused him just three days ago. Erik now looked hollow, a shadow of man he was just a week ago. Amir knew that there was really nothing he could do or say that would make him feel better or change anything. It would just take time.

"What now, mon ami?" he asked gently.

"I don't know," he whispered.

Amir rose from the couch and walked into the kitchen. Nothing there was disturbed, nor in the dining room. He looked in the studio, bathroom and bedrooms and saw that everything was in order. Apparently only the living room had suffered the brunt of Erik's grief. He took the trash can from the kitchen and brought it into the living room and began picking up the larger pieces of glass and broken items until only the smallest pieces were left. He gathered the papers and photographs and stacked them neatly on the table and removed the broken pieces of furniture and placed them out on the patio. _Erik will have to go furniture shopping,_ he thought. When he came back in from the patio, he saw that Erik had arisen and was now vacuuming. That was good. Activity would help him refocus on the act of living.

It took roughly an hour and a half for them to get the living room back to a semblance of order, and it now looked somewhat more spacious with less furniture. When they finished, they went into the kitchen and Erik began preparing lunch for them while Amir sat at the counter. Erik made them club sandwiches with a side of home-made cole slaw and iced tea.

"Have you spoken with Megan?" he asked as he took a seat.

"I spoke with her Wednesday. She's happy with Alex," Amir replied sullenly.

"Don't we make a fine pair." Erik took a bite of his sandwich.

Amir ate silently. There wasn't much more to say. They'd both made mistakes, and they'd both paid…dearly. For all of their wealth and success, the one thing they both desired above all else continued to elude them. After all these years, he couldn't imagine finding anyone else he could fall in love with. Before Megan, he'd never felt love for another woman. She had been perfect. Did he truly believe he could continually fuck whomever he wanted and still keep her? He snorted softly and shook his head.

Erik saw this and wondered if Amir was thinking of Megan. "What's on your mind?" he asked.

Amir shook his head. "Guess."

Erik merely nodded and took another bite of his sandwich.

_

* * *

Sunday evening _

Juan had just finished dinner and had rinsed his dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. He thought about his family and wished he could call them. It'd been over two years since he'd seen them or heard the voices of his mother, sister, and brother, but considering the circumstances of his departure, perhaps it was best they didn't hear from him or know about his health condition. He'd been closer to his mother than to his father, but even she refused to acknowledge his sexual orientation. And his brother and sister had voluntarily distanced themselves from him when they learned of it. Perhaps due to their homophobia, they'd always expected him to contract the AIDS virus and die from it as a result of his chosen lifestyle, and he had no desire to show them that they were right. He'd always tried to be so careful, yet all it took was one stupid mistake…

Again, as he'd done every day for the past few months, he wondered about how long he had before he became ill and succumbed to the disease, to become just another CDC statistic. It was so ironic. He'd never seriously given much thought to the AIDS virus although being bisexual because he knew he was always careful. He felt that those who'd become infected had, for the most part, been careless, and it was their fault, knowing the risks involved. But now, here he was in that very situation, and now he had all the compassion and sympathy in the world. _You're such a fool_, he thought. _When it's all said and done, what have you done with your life? What have you left? Nothing! No one to stick by you, no one to love you…_

It was moments like these that were the hardest, even more so than the fear of death itself. He'd become a more spiritual person as a result of his fear and he'd begun reading books by many experts on the subject of death, books by doctors, psychologists, and scientists. He tended to shun religion-based studies and stuck with the more secular works which agreed with his own scientific inclinations, and as a result of his studies, found a measure of peace with the knowledge that it was indeed possible that death was not the end of the human condition. He was grateful for this new understanding and thought it ironic that he should find this out only now as he stood in the shadow of his own mortality.

He only wished now that he had someone to be with as he faced this frightening ordeal. When he'd first returned from Washington, he'd been counting on reuniting with Alex, but Alex had fallen in love with Megan and would most likely marry her. He was glad Alex was happy and had always wanted that for him, but he didn't want to be alone when he became ill and eventually faced death. He didn't want to become bedridden in ten or twelve years with only a paid caregiver to look after him. Juan then thought he might purchase a pet, perhaps a cat since he knew they were permitted in his apartment building. Yes, a beautiful cat that would be loving and affectionate and would stay with him until he inevitably became ill. He determined that he would go out tomorrow and look for a suitable kitten.

He felt better now, and after drying his hands on a dish towel, he made his way into the living room to watch a special on new technologies on the Discovery Channel. He imagined how nice it would be to watch television with his cat purring at his side while he stroked her…

He had just sat down and was about to turn on the television when there was a knock at the door. He wondered if it might be the neighbor again with his mail, and he opened the door without looking out the peephole.

He was shocked to find Alex standing there with a six-pack of imported beer.


	69. Juan

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers, and to my wonderful story editor Archeology 101, thank you for your invaluable suggestions and input on this very difficult chapter.

Chapter 69

Juan

_Sunday evening_

Alex was truly the last person Juan had expected to see on his doorstep, but he couldn't deny the gladness he felt as he stared at him. He looked wonderful.

"Hi. I wondered if we could talk." Alex had no idea what he would say, but he at least hoped that the six-pack would help ease the way

Juan stared in surprise, but finally opened the door wider and bade him enter.

"Nice place," Alex noted as he offered him the beer.

"I like it." Juan went back to the kitchen to get some glasses that were already chilling in the freezer.

Alex removed his jacket and made himself comfortable as he looked at his surroundings. He had to admit the apartments in this part of town were much nicer, roomier, and he noticed some of Juan's designs on the wall attractively framed, one being a medical campus, and another a skyscraper. Everything in the apartment was nice and reflected Juan's tasteful style. Juan had always made much more money as an engineer than Alex ever had as an attorney for the city, but they both had a passion for their work.

Juan returned to the living room with two frosted glasses and the beer on a tray and took a seat opposite Alex. "So what brings you out this way?" he asked.

"You, of course." Alex opened a bottle and poured it into a glass. He'd thought about this all night and still didn't know what he wanted to say, but then decided to let his heart be his guide. As he gazed at him, he thought that Juan looked as attractive and as wonderful as he'd always remembered. "How long have you known?" he asked softly.

"Just a few months. I had the flu when I moved back and I couldn't shake it, so I took a home test, and it came out positive."

Alex shook his head. He could only imagine how terrifying it must have been for him to see his entire future determined in this manner. "So what are you doing for yourself now?" he asked gently.

Juan sipped his beer. "I'm going to support meetings here in town. They meet three times a week at this church on Geary and Hyde. It's nice to know I'm not in this alone."

"So what did your doctor say about starting the medications?"

Juan shifted uncomfortably. "Um, I haven't gone to a doctor."

Alex's heart hitched and he looked at him wide-eyed. _"What! Why not?"_

Juan rose from his chair and paced, finally stopping before the window. He covered his face and whispered, "I'm scared."

Alex stood up angrily and shot back, "Well, I have news for you, _hombre_! You're going to be even more scared if you _don't_ go!" and he regretted it immediately. "I'm sorry," he murmured, embarrassed.

"No, you're right. They talk about it all the time at the meetings, but I'm not ready yet. I know I have to go sooner or later, but…not right now."

"All right… Look, let's get together for dinner Thursday. You, me and Megan at the Sidecar at seven. What do you say?"

Juan shook his head. "You don't have to do that for me, I'll be okay."

Alex knew that that wasn't true because he knew that Juan didn't have anyone but him. "It's not just for you…I just need to know you'll be all right."

Juan looked at him questioningly. "But why? You've got Megan, and it's not your problem."

Alex looked away, as though he were looking for an escape where there was none, until he finally looked back. "I have to because I can't let you face this alone…and because I still love you."

_

* * *

Monday evening _

Alex wondered if he was doing the right thing. He'd been driven to distraction ever since Juan's disclosure of his condition, and he'd worried over him to the point of nausea. He'd done some online research and found that Juan's support meetings were held at the Our Redeemer church at 7:00 p.m. Meetings on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays were apparently for members to encourage one another by talking about their experiences, and meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays were for those seeking information and resources. Alex was driving through evening traffic now, on his way to a support meeting. He wasn't even sure why he felt he needed to go to it, but perhaps it was to convince himself that this was real, that if he saw Juan sitting among others who were infected, it would mean he really was, too.

It was a few minutes before seven when he pulled up in front of the church, and he saw a number of cars parked outside and people still walking in, both men and women, but mostly men. He felt awkward as he walked into the building, but it was obviously very informal. There were a number of flyers and handouts on a table outside the meeting room, which was large and already crowded with about fifty people seated in folding chairs facing front. He wanted to see where Juan was sitting before he took a seat in the back row, but he didn't appear to be there tonight.

He startled when someone suddenly grabbed his arm from behind… _"Looking for me, Alejandro?"_ whispered a silky voice.

Alex spun to see Juan smirking good-naturedly. "Shit, don't sneak up on me like that, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

Still smiling, he asked, "What are you doing here?"

Alex wasn't sure what he was doing there and seemed flustered. "I, I just…wanted to see what the meetings were all about," he replied.

"Oh, well, why don't we find a seat, it's about to start."

Alex was glad that Juan didn't make a big deal over his being there and they sat through the meeting until it was over an hour later. It was actually quite interesting, and it was difficult to walk away without feeling compassion for those who knew their lives would be cut short.

As they were about to take their leave from one another, Alex seemed somewhat subdued.

"Are you all right?" asked Juan. He knew these meetings could be emotional.

Alex could only nod. "I'll be back," he said softly.

* * *

Erik sat on his bed with his laptop, the pain in his heart ever present. He was reading the online news, but he could tell from his buddy list that Christine was online. It brought a measure of both comfort and pain to see that she was there and could see him online as well, but he would not contact her, and he didn't expect to be contacted. 

He would be busy tomorrow. He'd already ordered some new furniture, and since he'd be re-decorating his living room, decided to paint the walls as well. His furniture would be delivered Friday. He wondered what Christine was doing now, what she was thinking. He missed her so much. Almost every waking moment was spent thinking about her. What would he do without her? He wondered if perhaps a letter might be appropriate.

Yes, a letter…

_

* * *

Tuesday evening _

"I love this place! I can't tell you how long I've wanted to come here!" Megan was over the moon about The Great San Francisco Fish Market. They were both having Dungeness crab over newspapers with a glass of beer and she was having the time of her life.

Alex smiled, pleased to see her enjoying her crab so much. It wasn't crowded for a Tuesday evening, but the noise level was moderate on the other side of the restaurant's low walls as the fish market went through its nightly routine of cleaning the floors to prepare for the next morning's early delivery of fresh fish.

Alex took a drink of his beer and hesitated before broaching the subject he'd been thinking about all night. He hoped this would go well.

"I wanted to talk to you about something, _chiquita_," he began.

Megan looked up briefly from her crab. "Okay, shoot." She wiped her hands on a napkin and took a swig of her beer.

Alex wiped his hands on a napkin as he spoke. "I have a friend who was just diagnosed HIV positive. He's alone, and he's scared. I wanted to give him some moral support so he knows he doesn't have to go through this alone."

"He must be a very good friend," she said, touched by his compassion.

Alex nodded. "He is."

"Have you ever been involved with him?" _A natural question, considering his orientation._

_I should have known she would ask that. _"Yes, I was."

"Do you still love him?"

"Yes, of course, but it was a long time ago. Anyways, I've been telling him about you and I invited him for dinner at The Sidecar on Thursday night. I wanted to know if you'd like to have dinner with us so you could meet him."

Looking into his eyes, Megan could tell that he really wanted this. "Sure. I can do that." _This should be interesting._

_

* * *

Wednesday at Gaston's _

It was the lunch hour and it was busy as performers and workers from the Music Center converged upon the restaurant. But no matter how busy they were, Gaston's was known for their excellent service and food and had received many awards over the years for both.

"This was a great idea, it feels like it's been ages since I've been here," Christine beamed as she looked over her menu.

"I know, I love it here, but I've been too busy to stop in." As Megan looked at her menu, they were both determined to branch out and order something besides a Caesar salad for once. When the waitress came by, they both ordered the day's luncheon special, which was trout fillet.

"So Alex actually asked you to have dinner with him and a former lover who's HIV positive?" Christine asked.

"Yes, we're going to have dinner with him Thursday."

"How do you feel about that?"

Megan shrugged. "To tell you the truth, I'm not really sure. He said it was a long time ago, but just the thought that they'd slept together…I don't know…" The waitress returned with two iced teas and Megan squeezed some lemon into hers.

"Well, it'd be the same if it was a former girlfriend, wouldn't it?" Christine opened a couple sugar packets into her iced tea and stirred.

"I guess so, but I suppose I should just be glad he included me."

"So how does he plan to help him?"

"He just wants to give him moral support, so he doesn't feel like he's alone."

"That doesn't sound too bad, does it?"

Megan sipped her tea. "I guess not. Anyways, it'll be interesting to meet one of his friends. We'll just have to see how it goes."

She suddenly became aware of someone standing near their booth and looked up in surprise. It was Amir.

"Hello, Megan," he smiled gently. "How've you been?"

"Oh, hi!... I've been fine, how've you been?" she asked, shocked.

"I've been well. Hello, Christine," he smiled over at her.

"Hi, it's good to see you again," Christine smiled.

"Auditions will be here soon. I hope you're both practicing. We're expecting a large number of applicants this year."

"Will you be one of the judges?" Christine asked.

"Yes, there'll be five of us. You'll receive your audition schedules in the mail about a week before. If we're lucky, we'll finish the auditions in a week, and then you'll receive your letters two or three weeks later."

"I don't even like to think about it," Christine murmured. "It makes me nervous."

"You'll be fine," he smiled. "I'd better get back. Nice seeing you again." Before he left their table, he caught Megan's eye and whispered a soft, "Bye."

As she watched him walk away, Christine could only say, "Wow." It was impossible not to notice his sensuality, but when she looked over at Megan, she saw that she looked decidedly sad.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Megan wasn't really sure. She was with Alex, but seeing Amir just now was…wonderful. And her heart ached again…

When they received their plates, they ate in silence for a few minutes until Megan asked, "Have you spoken with Erik?"

Christine looked up. "Uh, no. As a matter of fact, I haven't yet, but I've been thinking about it."

"And…?"

"And I'm still thinking about it. I admit I may have been a little hasty…"

"A little?"

"Fine! A lot hasty, but I'm still thinking about it. I just have to be sure of what I want to say."

Megan smiled. "Okay, just asking." She paused and took another sip of iced tea. "When were you going to talk to him?"

Christine looked up again, surprised. "I don't know, when I'm good and ready. Maybe you'd like to go talk to him instead."

"Christine, you know you belong with him. Whatever happens, you know you have to help him. I just want you to hurry up because despite who he is, you're the most important thing in his life. Can you imagine what he must be going through now without you? That's what love's all about."

Christine sighed. "I know. Look, let's finish eating while we still have time. I'll let you know what happens."

When they finished, they paid their bill and drove back in Christine's car to school. She thought of Erik again as she had ever since she'd left him four days ago. As Megan had reminded her, she realized she'd jumped to conclusions when she'd first opened the music box and reacted, and she didn't listen when Erik tried to explain. Perhaps they were more alike than she'd realized. In any event, she knew she may have made a mistake, and if so, she would have to make it right.

* * *

By the time classes had ended for the day, Christine was exhausted. All she wanted to do was to go home and lie down for a nap before preparing herself a light dinner and starting her homework. She trudged up the stairs and unlocked her door, but when she looked down, she saw that an envelope had been slipped under her door, and she recognized immediately that it was from Erik. 

She picked it up and dropped her books on the coffee table before walking into her room to change. Pinecone was laying atop her bed again, but she ignored her and laid the letter on her dresser as she changed and wondered about what Erik could have written her.

She pulled on a pair of thick socks before picking up the letter and opening it, and as she laid down on the bed, displacing Pinecone from her spot, she unfolded the letter and began to read.

_Dear Christine,_

_The skies now are overcast as it has been all week, but it cannot compare to the darkness that has overtaken my heart since your leaving. _

_You were justified in your anger upon discovering the music box, but please believe me when I tell you that it was my full intention to destroy its contents eventually. I tell you truthfully that I was not fully under its influence for many years since returning to this country, but that its most current use was due to my own belief that I needed it as a crutch rather than relying upon my own strength. Please believe me when I tell you that I have not used any drugs since January, and I never will again. _

_I need you, my darling, more than I have ever needed anyone, and this from one who has tried to never need anyone. I love you, Christine, and I say this over and over again._

_Please forgive me. _

_Erik_

She read the letter over two more times before placing it back in the envelope. She closed her eyes and sighed as she absently ran her fingers through Pinecone's fur. _It's all about trust. _

She made up her mind.

* * *

When Megan arrived home from school, she dropped her books on the bed and sat on the edge for awhile to think. She decided she wanted to take a shower and retrieved her robe and slippers as she made her way to the bathroom. As she scrubbed and lathered, she thought about their lunch at Gaston's. It was strange running into Amir the way they had, although it shouldn't have been since he worked just across the courtyard at the Phil. When she got out and dried herself, she returned to her bedroom to change into her fleece outfit and retrieved Amir's letters from the drawer in her nightstand. Making herself comfortable on the bed, she read them again, twice, and then laid on the bed and closed her eyes to think. _This is the first time I've thought of Alex since lunch. I usually think of him throughout the day, but I've been thinking of Amir. What does this mean? _She decided to put the thought aside for now and make herself a bite to eat before starting on her homework. _First things first._

By 6:00, she'd been working on her homework for the last couple hours and decided to take a break. She went to put on a kettle of water and grabbed a candy bar. She wondered what Alex was doing tonight. She'd seen him last night and would see him again tomorrow, but they usually called one another if they didn't see each other during the day. She called his cell phone and could hear it ringing, and he finally picked it up on the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi, sweetheart, it's me. I was just calling to see what you were up to."

"I'm actually trying to get out the door. Would it be okay if I called you later, love?"

In the background, Megan could hear someone calling, _"Hurry up or we're going to be late!"_

Her curiosity piqued, she asked, "Who's that?"

"That's Juan. Gotta go. Talk to you later, baby." And he was gone.

* * *

They were at P3. They'd just had dinner and were now enjoying cocktails on the second level, watching the couples dance as the band played a mellow piece. 

"Are you having a good time, darling?" Amir asked.

"Yes, I love it. Thank you so much for bringing me here," Nichole smiled charmingly. She'd been trying for ages to get Amir's attention, and she was thrilled that he'd finally succumbed to her charms. She was dressed to the nines for tonight's date, and she was certain that Amir was impressed.

"Would you care to dance?" he asked smoothly.

"I'd love to."

He led her to the dance floor, and as they found their place near the middle, he held her gently but firmly in his arms as they swayed to the music. He was tired of being alone in the evenings and wanted to go out and have a good time. Nichole had been attempting to catch his attention for quite some time by using her various feminine wiles, all of which were familiar to Amir, and he decided to kill two birds with one stone by rewarding her efforts and satisfying his need to go out. He could tell she was having a wonderful time, and she was an adequate dancer, but her conversation left something to be desired. Not that she wasn't charming or intelligent...she just wasn't Megan.

He missed her so much. He remembered dancing with her, and she always smelled wonderful. She was exceptionally light on her feet, and when he held her, she felt like a part of him and they would move as one. He closed his eyes as he remembered, and he recalled how it felt to run his fingers through her hair and nuzzle her so he could smell the fresh clean scent of her hair…

Nichole loved dancing with Amir. He was so incredibly sexy, and he was turning her on just by holding her against him, and she could feel him burying his face in her hair and running his fingers through it. She wondered if he would want her to spend the night with him. One thing led to another in her imagination, and she could imagine them dating, him buying her beautiful and expensive gifts, being seen with him at important functions, meeting important people…

When their dance ended, Amir led them back to their table, and by the time it was eleven, he was driving Nichole home. Ever the gentleman, he walked her to the front door of her apartment.

"Thank you for having dinner with me tonight, Nichole. I enjoyed your company very much."

"Thank you for asking me, I had a wonderful time," she smiled.

Amir leaned in slightly to kiss her goodnight, and he made sure that it was very good because he hadn't had one in almost a month and a half. As he deepened his kiss, he found that Nichole tasted very nice and kissed well, and he didn't doubt for a moment that she would also be good in bed.

When he pulled away at last, Nichole seemed a little breathless.

"Goodnight," he said gently.

"Would you like to come in for a little while?" she asked before he had turned to leave. "I could make some coffee."

Her body language and physical signs – flushed cheeks, quickened breathing, and slight breathlessness – obviously indicated more than a desire to share a cup of coffee, but Amir merely said, "Thank you, but I'll take a rain check. Goodnight."

When he'd returned to his car and driven off, he was glad to be on his way home. He could tell that Nichole had been disappointed he didn't stay, but he had no desire to spend the night with someone he'd have to see day in and day out whom he didn't love. He'd rather be alone.

As he approached his neighborhood and neared his building, he suddenly decided to keep driving. He hadn't consciously planned to pass it up, but he was now driving away from home and going south. When he reached his destination, he parked on the curb and turned off his engine and lights. He was in front of Megan's apartment again and could just see through her blinds from the street. The lights were still on and she was still up. _You're worse than a love-struck teenager. What's the matter with you?_

He didn't know why he would put himself through this. He'd felt fine when he left Nichole's, yet now he was feeling depressed again. As he looked at the blinds over her picture window, he saw movement on the other side, but movement from two figures, not one, and one was taller than the other. The lights in the living room went out, and then a light in another room came on. In a few minutes, that light went out as well.

_Well, you saw what you wanted to see, didn't you? You know that was Alex with her up there. They're sleeping together tonight, probably making love this very minute. Are you happy?_

He started his engine and pulled away, intent on driving straight home. He was angry at himself. _What did you expect? You were bound to see that sooner or later. _

When he finally returned home to his apartment, he undressed and prepared for bed. _Why do you do this? Why do you keep beating yourself up like this? _

But of course he knew why. He just didn't know what to do about it.

_

* * *

Thursday evening _

Alex and Megan arrived at the Sidecar Restaurant about ten minutes before seven and were seated at a very nice table. They'd dressed casually but nicely, Alex in a sport coat and Megan in an attractive dress with her hair up. It was a very pleasant evening, not too crowded or noisy, and they could hear pleasant music playing.

In a few minutes, Juan arrived and was shown to their table. Alex got to his feet and greeted him warmly, shaking his hand before turning to introduce him to Megan.

"Juan, this is my girlfriend, Megan Gerard. Megan, this is Juan Aragon."

Megan smiled broadly and offered her hand. "I'm very pleased to meet you," she said warmly. She was struck by his incredible good looks and thought he could easily be a model. He was dressed casually, yet his clothes seemed tailor-made. _I can see why Alex would be attracted to him…I sure would be._

Juan took his seat and they spoke casually as they looked over their menus and placed their orders. As charming and as healthy as Juan appeared, it was difficult for Megan to believe that he was actually HIV positive and that their purpose for getting together tonight was to offer moral support.

When their meals arrived, Alex had ordered steak, Megan the chicken and broccoli over pasta, and Juan the veal parmesan. As they ate and conversed, Megan learned about how he and Alex had become acquainted in college. She also learned of his family and of how close they had been. It warmed her heart to hear of how proud they were of him when he obtained his doctorate in design engineering and then went on to join a prestigious engineering firm within the city. It seemed his entire family was very accomplished and quite prominent, yet it all changed when he revealed his sexual orientation to them. It was tragic, and Megan could tell that he was still very hurt by it.

Juan spoke candidly about his feelings for his family, his work, and the things that mattered most to him, and Megan found that she liked him. She was certain that these very qualities were what had attracted Alex to him in the first place. Alex had been quiet as Juan spoke, but Megan could tell that he was deeply moved for he had been there when all of these things occurred, and it was a part of their shared history.

When he finally concluded his tale, he asked Megan about her own background, and she obliged by telling him of her own upbringing, her father's untimely death when she was a child, and her mother's unwavering support as she worked to perfect her dance skills so she could be accepted at the world famous San Francisco Philharmonic.

"She'll make it, too," Alex said confidently as he took her hand. "I've seen her dance, and she's truly a world class dancer." He gave her a kiss and she beamed at his praise.

"I don't doubt it," Juan smiled.

When they finished their meal, their plates were removed and they relaxed over cups of coffee and tea. Although this was the first time the three of them had been together, Alex noticed that it felt as if they'd been friends forever. Indeed, Megan and Juan spoke easily together and Alex could tell that there was a mutual affinity, and he was glad for he loved them both.

Megan excused herself to freshen up and Alex and Juan were left at the table.

"You're very lucky, Alejandro," Juan said softly. "She's wonderful, just like you said."

"Yes, and it feels strange. I've never been this close to a woman before, and it kind of reminds me of my mom and dad. I used to wonder how anyone could stand being together for so many years, but now I'm starting to understand."

When they took their leave from the Sidecar at ten, Juan bade them goodbye and gave Megan a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and Alex a manly hug and handshake as they promised to get together again.

As Juan drove away and headed for home, he thought back on the evening. He'd enjoyed getting together with Alex and Megan and wondered if this friendship could work. Megan had been very kind and gave no indication that she'd been put off by his sexual orientation or HIV status, though he was certain Alex had told her of it. He'd noticed that Alex and Megan seemed very much in sync and was warmed by it. Although he'd dated many women, he himself had never had such a close relationship with a woman, although he would have welcomed it. Yes, Alex was lucky indeed.

As he pulled into his driveway, he thought it might be nice to have them over for dinner some evening…

* * *

Alex glanced over at Megan as they pulled away from the restaurant. "Did you have a good time, love?" he asked. 

"Yes, I did. I loved the Sidecar."

"What did you think of Juan?" he asked.

"He's very nice, very good looking. I liked him." She gazed out the window.

"I've known people who've come down with AIDS and then died, but I've never been close to any of them," he said thoughtfully. "I still can't believe he's tested positive."

Megan didn't say anything, so they rode in silence for awhile.

Alex had a thought. "When you have your year-end show, maybe he'd like to come with me, and then he'll have a chance to see you dance."

"Uh-huh." Megan didn't look at him.

Alex looked over at her and saw that she was still looking out the window. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

Megan didn't respond.

"Did I do something?" he asked again.

"No, you didn't do anything."

By this time they'd pulled up in front of her building and Alex helped her out of the car. As they went up the stairs to her apartment, he noticed her cool demeanor and tried again. "Can we talk about this?"

Megan took her keys from her purse and unlocked her door, but didn't say anything. They went inside and she turned on the lights. Alex saw the picture of them that was taken at the Salsa Festival on her bookcase, and next to it was a picture of him in an attractive frame. He'd have to ask her where she got that one.

Alex made himself comfortable in the living room as Megan went into the kitchen to put on a kettle of water, and then she walked back to her bedroom to change. When she came out, she wore a comfortable fleece outfit and a matching pair of socks. The kettle started whistling and she went back to the kitchen to turn off the stove. Alex waited patiently.

When Megan finally came into the living room, she carried a tray with two mugs of hot water and a selection of teabags, sugar, cream, and honey. _She's such a hostess_ Alex thought. Megan glanced at him before setting down the tray, but showed no emotion even as she thought how wonderfully handsome he looked. _It's no wonder he and Juan found each other…_

She sat next to him and prepared her tea and Alex did likewise. As the tea steeped, he looked over at her, noticing how beautiful she was even when she was upset. "Megan, please tell me what's wrong," he said gently.

She didn't answer immediately but seemed to be thinking about something. "How do you feel about Juan?" she asked softly.

This wasn't what he was expecting to hear, but he answered truthfully. "He's one of my best friends, and I want to be there for him now that he needs me."

"And how does he feel about you?" she asked.

He hesitated before answering because he didn't want to convey the wrong impression. "We're very close because we used to be involved, but he knows we're together now and he wants it to work for us."

"He said that?"

"Yes, he did. He wants us to be happy."

Megan dunked her teabag a few times before placing it on the plate. She didn't look up as she asked, "Could you ever go back to him?"

Alex was surprised that she would ask this, but he gave it some thought before answering. "No, not as long as we're together."

She didn't like the sound of that. "So you're saying that I'm the only thing keeping you from going back with him?"

Alex looked at her solemnly. "Megan, please don't turn this into something it's not. I love you, and I want us to stay together. I'm not going anywhere…and I don't want you to either. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered. _Amir said the same thing when he was trying to help Joanna…_

She curled up next to him and held him, and he wrapped his arms around her. He didn't want her to feel insecure, but he couldn't leave Juan to face death alone.

Megan understood Alex wanting to help him, but she knew what she knew. Alex and Juan were close, but whenever they looked at each other over dinner, there was more in their exchange than that of good friends. It was very subtle, and perhaps even they weren't aware of it, but Megan was certain. It was possible she could be wrong, but she didn't think so...only time would tell.


	70. Too Late

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine. 

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editor Archeology 101.

Chapter 70

Too Late

_Friday morning_

Christine poured some ketchup on her plate for her hash browns while Megan sipped her hot chocolate. They were at their favorite breakfast spot again, which was doing good business for ten in the morning, while they compared notes.

"So how'd your dinner go with Juan last night?"

"Dinner was fine, and so was Juan," Megan replied.

"Meaning…?"

"He was a stone fox. Alex told me they used to be involved, and I can see why. I think he's in his late 20's or early 30's, really nice, no pretenses. I liked him."

Christine glanced at her and noticed that she seemed overly engrossed in her scrambled eggs. She could always tell when Megan was depressed because they'd known each other too long. "So what's the problem?"

Megan sighed and shook her head. "During dinner, while we were all talking, they were _looking_ at each other."

Christine lowered her fork and looked at her curiously. "Alex and Juan were looking at each other?"

Megan shook her head. "No, they were _looking_ at each other. It was very subtle…I don't even know if they knew they were doing it, but I picked up on it right away. They're still in love."

Christine's heart hitched for she understood what this would mean for her friend. "Are you sure? Could you have read it wrong?"

"Sure, but I don't think I did." She paused. "Alex told me he loved me last night. When I asked him if he'd ever go back with Juan, he said he wouldn't as long as we were together. I didn't like that answer, so I asked him if I was the only thing keeping him from going back, and he said that I shouldn't turn it into something it's not. He said he wasn't going anywhere, but I thought that sounded like a cop-out if you ask me."

"So what are you going to do?"

"There's nothing I _can_ do, except wait. Only time will tell."

_

* * *

_

_Friday noon_

"So how were the meetings?" Adrian asked as they stood in line to place their orders.

Alex stared up at the menu board, trying to decide between the curry chicken bowl or the chicken chow mein combo. "They were pretty interesting. Learned a lot, heard some really incredible stories, sad stories, too. It really made me see AIDS victims in a different light."

They placed their orders and received them quickly, along with their beverages, and they found a table against a wall.

"How is Juan doing these days?"

"He's scared and he doesn't want to go to a doctor yet. I'm hoping I can help change his mind."

"That's heavy…give him my regards. And how are things with Megan?"

"Fine, we had dinner with her last night and had a good time. She liked Juan, and it was like the three of us had always been friends."

Adrian sipped his ice water and looked at Alex curiously. "Has Juan said anything about trying to get back together?"

"He did at first, but I just told him I wasn't interested, and he can see that Megan and I are together."

Adrian nodded slowly. "If you weren't with Megan, would you go back to him?"

Alex was surprised by this and looked at him strangely. "Why would you even ask me something like that?"

Adrian finished his bite before speaking. "Well, it just seems like you're spending a lot of time with him…"

"That's because I've been going to the meetings with him. It all has to do with his HIV."

"Right. But you're already talking like you're a couple."

"Excuse me?" Now he was getting angry. "What are you talking about?"

"When you spoke of having dinner the other night, you said you and Juan had dinner with Megan, not that you and Megan had dinner with Juan."

"We did have dinner with Juan," he said, irritated.

Adrian said nothing more about it and ate his broccoli beef dish. "What're you doing tonight?" he asked innocently.

"Nothing," he lied. Actually, he was going to go to another meeting.

_

* * *

_

_Friday evening_

Megan was greatly enjoying a quiet evening at home with a good book, another thriller. She'd gone to the conservatory this morning after breakfast and stayed till the afternoon to practice her dance moves and choreograph her audition routine. It would probably be another week before her routine was finished, but she already had a good idea of what it would include. Amir had said there would be a panel of five judges. Although she didn't expect him to be one of the judges for her audition, she wondered if he would be there to see it. She hoped so, for she'd be giving the performance of her life, and it'd be a shame if he missed it. She was sweaty and grimy by the time she'd returned home, so she eased her muscles by taking a soothing bath with her favorite fragrant bath oil beads, and she was now in her bedroom surrounded by her favorite things, music, food, beverage, phone, and a good book.

It was about seven by the time she realized she hadn't heard from Alex since she tried to call him a couple nights ago and she wondered what he was doing tonight. She didn't want to call him again and have him think that she was being a pest, but she wondered about his schedule this week. They went out to dinner Tuesday, he went out with Juan Wednesday, and then they'd had dinner with Juan on Thursday, so what was he doing tonight? She wondered if he was online. She really didn't care to instant message, but at least she could see if he was on the computer.

She put her book aside and brought her laptop to the bed and logged on. She glanced at her buddy list and saw that Alex wasn't online, and she was disappointed. _Where could he be tonight? Is he out with Juan again? _

She thought about last night's dinner and recalled the looks she'd seen pass between Alex and Juan, the little glances so fleeting that they seemed unintentional. Could she have imagined it? Did she make herself see it after Alex confided that he and Juan had been involved? No, she couldn't have imagined it…

* * *

Amir had worked late tonight because he wanted to finish up his work before the weekend. He'd just finished eating his take-out from Fong's and was now ready to relax. He looked forward to sitting down to some good music, a good drink, and reading the news. He looked over his CD collection and selected several to place into his player before he went over to make a drink from his wet bar. He walked into his study and seated himself before the computer and logged on. 

He took a sip from his glass and closed his eyes so he could relish the flavor. There was _nothing_ like good aged bourbon… When he opened his eyes and gazed at the screen, his buddy list had popped up, along with the news, and he saw that Megan was online, which he knew was extremely rare. He wanted to IM her, but wondered how she would react since she was now with Alex, and he remembered his reaction when he'd seen her at Gaston's. He'd still been hurting, but he had had to talk to her, hear her voice, and be near her again if only to say hello. And now…he just wanted to be near her again.

AK1000: Good evening, Megan.

Megan was surprised when the instant message window popped up, and surprised to see that it was Amir for she had erased him from her buddy list a few weeks ago when she'd started seeing Alex.

LeDancr: Good evening, Amir.

AK1000: I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time.

LeDancr: No, it's not a bad time.

AK1000: How have you been? Studying hard?

LeDancr: I've been fine. Studying and preparing for the audition.

AK1000: It was good seeing you the other day at Gaston's. You looked wonderful.

LeDancr: Thank you. It was good seeing you, too.

AK1000: Everything still going well with Alex?

Megan's thoughts immediately turned to last night's dinner with Juan, but that had nothing to do with her conversation with Amir now.

LeDancr: Yes, everything's fine.

No, it wasn't. Amir noticed Megan's split-second delay in responding to his question, revealing volumes, and he also wondered why she was home alone on a Friday night.

AK1000: I'm glad. You deserve to be happy. I'm looking forward to seeing you audition.

LeDancr: But you won't be judging me, will you?

AK1000: No, I won't be, but I wouldn't miss it for the world.

This elicited a small smile from Megan. She was glad he would be there.

LeDancr: That's good to know.

AK1000: Any plans for the weekend?

LeDancr: No, not really. I just have to go to the bookstore in the afternoon, and then I was going to get a pet.

AK1000: A pet? What kind?

LeDancr: A hedgehog.

AK1000: Really? I thought they were illegal in California.

LeDancr: They are, just like ferrets, but people still own them.

AK1000: Interesting.

LeDancr: Well, I'd better go now. It was nice talking to you again.

AK1000: And you, my dear. Goodnight.

LeDancr: Goodnight.

Megan turned off her computer and set it aside. Talking with Amir had certainly been a surprise, but she was glad. It was nice touching base with him and hearing his voice. He'd asked about Alex, but at this point, she really didn't know what to think about him. She hadn't heard from him all day and that was unusual, not that they'd had an agreement to touch base every single day. Maybe she would hear from him tomorrow.

* * *

It was only 7:00, but Christine was very tired as she lay on top of her bed with Pinecone as she re-read Erik's letter. She wanted desperately to believe him, and she recalled Megan's words once again. _If you really love him and want to stay with him, then you _have to_ believe him. Or not._ All she was sure of was that she couldn't imagine her life without him, he meant everything to her. _What did I think I was doing when I walked out on him? _she wondered._ Why didn't I believe him or give him a chance to explain? WHY? _As she struggled with this question, she soon fell into a deep but restless sleep… 

_She was driving down the boulevard on her way to the Phil. She'd waited long enough…she was going to talk to Erik and apologize for jumping to conclusions without giving him a chance to explain. She would tell him she loved him and believed him, and they would get back together. Then everything would be all right again. _

_When she pulled up to the Phil, she was excited as she walked up to the lobby and took the elevator up to the sixth floor. Soon she would see Erik and she would pour her heart out to him. He would forgive her and hold her and they would never again be parted. Her heart was pounding by the time she arrived on his floor, and she walked quickly to the end to knock on his door. She was smiling in her excitement and she couldn't wait to see him. She heard footsteps approaching the door from the other side and prepared herself to throw her arms around him and kiss him and beg him for his forgiveness. When the door opened, she was surprised to see that it wasn't Erik, but Amir. _

_Still excited, Christine asked, "Amir! What are you doing here? I need to see Erik!"_

_He looked at her evenly and said, "You're too late, Christine."_

"_No, I'm not," she said excitedly. "I'm here to tell him I believe him and that I love him. I know I should have come sooner, but I needed to make sure of what I was feeling. I'm sure now and I need to talk to him!"_

"_He's gone."_

"_What do you mean? Where did he go?" she asked impatiently._

"_He's dead, Christine, he committed suicide this morning. He's at the hospital now."_

_She looked at him in disbelief. "Dead? No, he can't be dead…I have to tell him…I have to tell him I love him…"_

_She pushed her way past Amir into the apartment. Everything was in order, nothing was disturbed, so she made her way to the kitchen, and then the bedroom…_

_There, on the floor of the bedroom, on the carpeting near the bookcase, was a large area covered in blood… _

_Amir caught up with her and took her arm before she could fall. "Is that Erik's blood?" she asked in a daze. "What happened? Why would he kill himself?"_

_Amir brought her back to the living room and sat her down on the couch. He went to the kitchen and brought her a glass of water. "He shot himself this morning. He left this note for you," and he brought it out of his shirt pocket for her to read._

_My dearest Christine,_

_I love you, my darling, always and forever. You are my life, my breath, and without you there is no life for me. I give you all that I have, and I leave you my love. _

_I love you, Christine, and I say this over and over again._

_Erik_

_Christine felt as though the ground were falling away.. Erik gone…that's impossible…it can't be… _

_It was the last thing she remembered._

_

* * *

__She was floating high in the sky amongst the clouds, but the clouds were her emotions, and each one was softly colored and feathery like cotton candy. It was so nice and quiet, just floating with no cares amidst beautifully colored clouds._

_She was slowly falling back to earth, but she didn't want to leave… When she awoke, she was back in her bedroom, and everything was quiet. There was a note on her nightstand from Amir which she picked up and read. It had his phone number and a message to call him if she needed anything._

_She was numb. Erik dead. She couldn't believe it. He was gone because of her. What am I going to do now? she thought. He left me everything, but what does it matter if he's not here? _

_She covered her eyes to try to block it out, but her acerbic conscience swiftly retorted, That's right, it doesn't matter, because he's DEAD! And he's dead because you were stupid, Christine! STUPID! The man LOVED you! He worshiped you! He gave you EVERYTHING and you still couldn't see it! You're pathetic! He deserved so much better than you! _

"_No, no!..." She buried her face in her pillow and began to punch it as hard as she could to vent her anguish. When she finally stopped, she whispered softly into her pillow, "Please forgive me, Erik, please forgive me. I was wrong not to believe you. I'm so sorry, my love, please forgive me…" _

_

* * *

_

_Christine received a call from Amir the next day. He said the memorial service would be held Friday evening. Erik would be cremated._

"_Cremated? But why? I wanted to see him before he was buried."_

"_He shot himself under the chin. There wasn't a lot left."_

_Christine didn't remember hanging up the phone. She really didn't remember the rest of the day…_

_

* * *

_

_St. Mary's Cathedral was the largest church in San Francisco. Although Erik wasn't particularly religious, he had donated money over the years when there was an emergency or special need, and he'd performed for important occasions, as when the Pope paid a visit to the city. The church now was brightly lit for the memorial service, and valet parking was provided to control traffic._

_As Christine walked up the steps to the church, she was amazed to see hundreds of people in attendance, and many arriving by limousine. Many attendees were obviously quite wealthy, and she saw the mayor, the De Chagnys, and the Richards families represented. When she entered the main chapel, an usher approached and led her to her seat in the first pew closest to the front and seated her next to Amir. Behind her were Madames Gerard and Wong, Megan, and Evan Fong. While they waited for the service to begin, An Overture for Mankind played softly in the background. _

_Near the altar on an easel was a large picture of Erik. He was dressed in a black suit and looked dashing, a small smile gracing his handsome face. Next to the easel was a small table with a beautiful golden urn which held his ashes, and also a gorgeous arrangement of red roses with a black bow. Christine felt hollow as she stared at these effects, the pain in her heart exquisite. _

_The service was about to begin, but first, a soloist was to sing Ave Maria. Everyone quieted as Joanna approached the microphone which had been set up to the left of the altar. Her blond tresses and lilting voice convinced all in attendance that this was an angel. Christine had to admit she sounded wonderful, and was thankful that they were able to pay tribute through someone as talented. _

_When the song ended, the pastor approached the podium and began his service. It was lovely, and as he ended his sermon, invited attendees to step forward and speak. At this invitation, the first to approach was Amir, and Christine watched him approach the podium. He introduced himself and then spoke of his close association with Erik, of their long friendship, and of how he had loved him. Tears were flowing freely down Christine's face, and she could tell many others were crying as well._

_Next to speak was Evan Fong, then Madame Gerard, and then the mayor. When he finished, Christine stood and approached. She hadn't planned on speaking, but she owed this last tribute to Erik. She hoped she would be able to speak without breaking down in tears._

_She spoke for about five minutes, but within that time, she spoke of her love, her admiration, and her regret that their relationship could not have continued in this life, yet their love would never die. She apologized for her mistakes, misunderstandings, and the pain that she caused. He was and would always remain the love of her life. _

_

* * *

_

_Five years later_

_Christine looked out over the railing of the patio of her penthouse atop the Phil. She could see the ocean from there and wondered how many times Erik had seen this very same view. The sun was warm upon her, and she fleetingly imagined that it was Erik gently caressing her face..._

_She was the reigning diva at the Phil, she had achieved her dream. She was independently wealthy and devoted all of her time to her craft. She wanted for nothing...except Erik. _

_When she retired for the night, both Pinecone and Anubis were on the bed with her. Their combined weight next to her provided comfort, and when she dreamt, she dreamt of good times, happy times, with Erik… _

* * *

When she gradually awoke, it was with an intense sadness, but as she looked around her room now, she saw that it was the same as always, and Pinecone was still at her side, asleep. _It was just a dream! _

Her relief was unbelievable. She covered her face and whispered, _"Thank you, God, thank you…" _She looked over at her clock and saw that it was still just 9:30 p.m. _Her dream had encompassed five years._

She sat up in bed and steadied herself. She smiled, she was excited…she knew what she had to do! She quickly changed clothes and went to the bathroom to brush her hair and make sure she was presentable. Then she grabbed her jacket, keys, and purse and rushed out the door.

* * *

Christine was both excited and nervous by the time she arrived at the Phil. She found a park in the parking garage and made her way down to the lobby. It was crowded for a Friday night since there was some kind of performance going on, but she made her way to the elevators and then to the sixth floor. 

She couldn't wait to see Erik. She still felt the residual emotions from her dream and never wanted to experience such grief and heartache ever again. She didn't care what it took, but she and Erik would never again be parted. She would apologize to him and beg his forgiveness and _make_ him take her back…

When she reached the sixth floor, she practically ran to the end of the hall to reach his door and knocked firmly. When there was no answer at first, she knocked again, louder. She finally heard footsteps approaching from the other side and grinned in anticipation, but when the door opened, it was Amir.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised. "I have to see Erik."

"You're too late," he said evenly.

Christine felt her blood turn to ice. "What?" she whispered.

"It's too late," he repeated.

Then everything went black.


	71. Azuki Bean

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editor Archeology 101.

Chapter 71

Azuki Bean

_Friday night_

"_Christine…Christine…wake up, darling…"_

From far away, she could hear someone calling. She was in a fog, but it was starting to lift, and the voice was becoming clearer…

She slowly opened her eyes, and as she tried to focus on the face above her, she thought he looked like Erik.

"Erik?" she murmured. _"Erik!" _She sat up and threw her arms around his neck and began to cry, desperate sobs wracking her body.

Surprised by her reaction, Erik held her in his arms for as long as she needed, rocking her and rubbing her back and stroking her hair, making shushing sounds to calm her. "I should probably be the one crying," he said softly. "You gave us quite a scare by fainting like that."

Christine pulled away slightly to stare at him as if to make sure he was truly there. "Amir said it was too late!" she said tearfully.

"Well, yes, it was…kind of. We'd been working all night on a problem and I'd fallen asleep. Amir was letting himself out when you knocked. He brought you to the couch after you fainted and woke me up."

"I dreamed that you died! You committed suicide and I went to your funeral and then I had to live in your apartment all by myself!" she cried.

"I can't die yet, darling," he said gently. "I still have to take care of you, and you have to take care of me."

Christine looked at him, her eyes glistening. "Promise?" she asked in a small voice.

"With all my heart," he whispered.

Christine relaxed somewhat as she held him, but finally lay back down, keeping her hand upon his arm. After everything, she was reluctant to let go. "I…I came over because I had to see you. I needed to apologize for not believing you. I should have believed you and given you a chance to explain. I'm so sorry."

"It's all right, my love, you're here now," he said softly.

"No, I should have believed you," she insisted. "And if you do have a problem with drugs, I want to help you overcome it."

Erik smiled at this. "Thank you, but no, I don't have a problem with drugs any more."

She couldn't take her eyes from him. "I love you, and I'm so sorry," she repeated.

"That's all right, my love, it's all right," and he kissed her gently and held her tightly in his arms. He thought he'd lost her forever. "God, I love you, Christine."

It was late, and so he offered his bed for her to lie down in, but she didn't want him to leave. So they slept together atop the bed, fully clothed, with a quilt to cover them until the morning.

_

* * *

_

It was the most restful night's sleep that Erik had had in a week, and for once was untroubled by nightmares. As he awoke now, his heart was light and swelled with love as he recalled Christine returning to him last night, although she'd scared him first by fainting. He turned over and reached for her, but she wasn't there. He opened his eyes and saw that he was alone in his bedroom…but he could smell bacon.

He arose and walked to the kitchen. There, standing before the stove, was Christine, placing the last of the bacon on a plate.

He came up behind her and hugged her tightly. "Good morning, my love," he murmured as he wrapped his arms around her. "That smells wonderful."

Christine turned around and embraced him, smiling beautifully. "Good morning, love," she said happily. She hugged him tightly, pressing her face into his chest, and she could hear his heartbeat. She was so grateful…

As Erik went to sit at the counter, Christine finished fixing breakfast of bacon, French toast, a few slices of orange, and eggs over easy.

Even now Erik couldn't believe that she was really here in his kitchen. When he'd fallen asleep on Amir last night, it was with the same telltale pain in his heart, but now it was forgotten because Christine was here with him, having breakfast, and everything was all right again.

As they ate, there wasn't a lot of conversation because they were both still in awe over this turn of events. They were very thankful, and though unspoken, knew they never wanted to be parted again.

"How would you like to go for a ride today?" Erik asked casually after they'd eaten.

"I'd love to," Christine smiled. "But I need to go home to shower and change first."

"Of course, and bring an overnight bag, just in case," he smiled crookedly. "I'll pick you up at one."

He walked her to the door as she prepared to leave, and she turned to him. They gazed at each other then, so much meaning passing between them, not wanting to leave the other even for a few hours, but knowing they'd come together again soon. Erik placed a sweet kiss upon her lips, but for Christine, it was the confirmation she needed to know that Erik was real and that her dream had been nothing more than a dream.

"Bye, I'll see you at one," she smiled, and then she was gone.

* * *

"Hello?" 

"Hi, _chiquita, _it's me."

"Alex? Wow, I haven't heard from you in awhile." Megan hung up the dish towel.

"I know, and I'm sorry about that, but I've been really busy. But I wanted to spend some time with you and wanted to know what your day looked like today."

"Oh, well, I was just doing a little house-cleaning this morning, and this afternoon I have to go to the bookstore to look for a book, and then from there I was going to go and pick up a pet."

"You're going to get a pet? What kind?"

"A hedgehog."

"A hedgehog? Really? I don't think I've ever seen a real one."

"They're really cute, and they're small, so it won't be a lot of trouble."

"Well, could you stand some company? And then later we can go out to eat."

"Sure, that'd be great. Why don't you come by at one? I should be done by then."

"Okay, love, I'll see you then."

"Bye."

_Wow, that was kind of a surprise _thought Megan. _I wasn't sure I'd hear from him since he didn't call yesterday. _She fastened her hair back with an elastic band and went over to her closet to get out the vacuum cleaner. As she began vacuuming her living room, she thought about her relationship with Alex.

It wasn't unusual to have periods of uncertainty in a new relationship, but she thought they'd be past that if Alex could say he loved her. Although she'd fallen for him, she didn't think she could say she loved him yet and so hadn't told him so. It seemed to her that he was spending more and more time with Juan, and although she was sure it was innocent, she couldn't shake her uncertainties, especially after that dinner…

By the time 1:00 rolled around, her apartment sparkled and she heard a knock at her door. When she opened it, Alex stood there with a smile on his face and entered by giving her a big hug.

"I missed you, _chiquita," _he smiled. "Are we ready to go?"

Megan hugged him in return. "I just need to get changed. Go ahead and make yourself comfortable," she said as she hurried to her bedroom. She selected a top and pants from her closet, and as she changed, wondered how this day would pan out. She thought it surprising how one day could make such a difference.

As they drove to the bookstore, Megan asked, "How's Juan doing?"

"He seems to be doing better, the meetings are helping," Alex replied easily. "I'm trying to encourage him to go see a doctor."

"That's good. He seems like a very nice guy." As she looked over at him, she thought Alex looked very nice dressed casually in jeans and a plaid shirt and boots. She could imagine him driving a pickup truck or riding a horse.

"He is," Alex replied. "He's got a big heart, and he's the type that would do anything for you." He was reminded of last night's meeting and of how Juan had stood up to speak to the other attendees. He'd said to never underestimate the positive influence of friends, especially now, when you needed all the positive energy you could get. When he sat down, he'd given him a smile, and Alex remembered how much that smile had meant to him.

When they arrived at the bookstore, Megan immediately went to the mystery section to look for another thriller. Juan looked with her for awhile, but since mysteries didn't interest him, he decided to look for another cookbook, which was upstairs on the second level.

Megan loved the bookstore. If she had access to unlimited funds, she was certain she could walk out with twenty books at a time, but for today, promised to limit herself to three. She was familiar with a number of mystery writers, but she looked for her favorites in addition to looking at some new writers. There were three aisles in the mystery section, so she started at the beginning and worked her way to the end. She'd selected only one book by the time she'd reached the lower shelves of the second aisle.

"You might like this one," said a smoothly masculine voice.

A book was offered to her, and she looked up to see who it was.

"Oh...Amir!" Megan took a step back in her surprise as she straightened and almost stumbled, dropping the book in her arms and almost losing her shoulder bag. As she squatted to pick up her book, she could feel her face warming. She accepted the book Amir held out and hoped he didn't notice the heat coming off her face. "I'm not familiar with this author, but it looks pretty interesting."

"It's not a new book, but it's one of the best mysteries I've ever read," he said knowingly. "He's written a number of very good ones."

"Thank you, I'll give it a read," she smiled as she tucked it into her arm.

"Have you already picked up your pet?" he asked.

"No, as a matter of fact we'll be going to pick it up as soon as we leave here," she replied. She glanced over at the bookshelves.

"Have you read up on hedgehogs? They might need special handling since they're not your run-of-the-mill pet."

"Oh, that's right," she said. "I'd better get a book on them. I wonder where the pet section is?" she asked, and began to look around.

"I believe it would be over there," he said, and she followed him across the store to a different section.

* * *

Alex enjoyed perusing the aisles of cookbooks and decided to purchase one on quick gourmet meals. The pictures were what sold the book as far as he was concerned, and he could imagine preparing these meals after work or on the weekends for Megan since they were fast. 

Remembering that they still had to get her hedgehog, he walked over to the railing to see if she was still where he'd left her in the mystery section. She wasn't there, so he looked down over the various sections and finally spotted her on the other side of the store apparently talking to someone. _Amir! _He was immediately incensed and made his way quickly over to the escalator. When he reached the bottom, he strode over to the section where he'd seen them. Not wanting to appear like a jealous boyfriend, he slowed his approach. It looked as if she and Amir were enjoying their conversation. "Megan?"

She wore a broad smile as she turned in his direction. "Hi, sweetheart. Amir was just telling me about practical jokes you can play with hedgehogs," she smiled.

"Alex." Amir extended his hand with a small smile.

Alex shook it firmly, but then turned to Megan. "Are we ready to go, love?"

She could tell he was upset. "Yes, I'm ready. Thanks for helping me," she said to Amir. "Bye."

As he watched them walk away, Amir's smile faded. _You don't belong with him, my love…you're mine…_

When they approached the checkout, Alex took Megan's books and paid for hers as well. As they walked to the car, Megan took the bag. "Thanks for buying my books for me, but you really didn't have to do that."

"Forget it," he replied sullenly.

Megan looked at him. When they boarded the car and pulled out of the parking lot, Megan gave him directions on where she needed to pick up the hedgehog. "It's a private owner and she's having a baby, so she didn't want any pets in the house until the baby's older," she explained.

They drove for a few minutes until they approached a small house in a pleasant neighborhood. The woman who owned the animal was very pregnant and was glad her pet would be going to a good home. Megan was immediately enchanted by it, and even Alex seemed fascinated by such an odd looking creature.

As they drove home, Alex was quiet, and Megan held the small cage the owner had given to her with the hedgehog, as well as a bag of feed. When they arrived at Megan's apartment, she placed it on the table and immediately took it out of its enclosure to look at it.

"What are you going to name it?" Alex asked.

Megan smiled. "I think I'm going to call him Azuki Bean, because he's kind of bean-shaped." She set it on the floor and it didn't move for awhile. When it did, it walked over to Alex.

He smiled and picked it up, looking at it front and back and upside down as its legs churned the air. He pet it gently and noticed that its eyes would close slightly at his every stroke. Alex smiled again.

"He seems to like you," Megan grinned.

Alex set him on the floor facing Megan, but then it would turn around and waddle back towards him and then stop next to his leg. "Are you hungry, love?" he asked, addressing Megan.

"Maybe a little bit," she admitted.

"Then let's go eat," he suggested, and he picked up Azuki Bean and set him back in his cage.

They both washed their hands and discussed where they wanted to go, finally deciding on the Mandarin House. It was only around 4:00, so it would be an early dinner.

The Mandarin House was a charming restaurant in a strip mall near the center of town. The dim interior and hanging Chinese lanterns added to the pleasant and quiet atmosphere, and because it was still early for dinner, there were only a few customers when they were seated and placed their drink orders.

Alex was still somewhat upset over seeing Amir talking with Megan although he knew he shouldn't be. Megan certainly had the right to talk to whomever she wished, and he was aware that Amir was her _ex-boyfriend_ because he'd stupidly been unfaithful to her. Still, it didn't help that the man was rich and exceptionally good-looking.

As they sat across from each other in the booth, she noticed his continued silence and asked, "Are you all right?"

Alex had rested his chin on his hands clasped in front of him, but he looked away, not really wanting to talk about it.

"Alex?" she said softly.

He looked at her. "I'm sorry," he sighed. "You have the right to talk to whomever you want, but…I guess I'm just jealous because I love you." He was embarrassed and hoped he wasn't blushing, but he was unfamiliar with this emotion when it came to dating.

"You want to know a secret?" she asked. "I am, too."

Alex was confused. "What do you mean?"

"I'm jealous of the time you spend with Juan, even if it's because of his HIV."

"But that's hardly the same thing, and that's not fair," he countered.

"I know, but it seems like I hardly saw you at all last week."

"I told you I was busy," he reminded, noting that she'd never made demands on his time before.

"Yes, I know, and I understand that. I want you to do what you feel you have to do, but I'm just telling you how I feel about it."

Alex turned away, automatically taking an emotional step back. When he looked back, he was annoyed. "I feel like you're giving me an ultimatum, or holding me emotional hostage."

_He's angry. _Megan could feel herself becoming emotional from his response. "No, it's not like that. I'm just saying that I missed you."

"Then what do you want me to do?" he asked, provoked.

Megan looked down at the table and shook her head. She didn't want to cry and make a scene, but she could feel her eyes welling up. "I'm sorry, I don't think I can do this tonight. Can you take me home?" she asked softly, her voice about to break.

Alex looked at her and was now upset by her reaction. "Yeah," he murmured, and he stood to put some money on the table for their drinks as they left the restaurant.

They didn't speak as Alex drove her home, but as she returned to her apartment and opened the door, Alex asked, "Megan, let's talk, please." She went to drop her things in the bedroom while Alex went to sit in the living room. When she walked back into the room, he stood and hugged her tightly. "I love you," he whispered.

Megan felt her heart in her throat. She couldn't speak or else she knew she would start sobbing. She buried her face in his chest and held onto him, and he felt strong, as though he could make everything right again.

He brought her over to the couch with him, and he had his arms around her as she curled up in his lap. "What's happening to us?" she asked softly.

He moved strands of hair away from her face and gently stroked her hair. "Nothing, _chiquita,_ just growing pains. All couples go through it."

They stayed on the couch for awhile, talking, kissing, and talking some more. Eventually, Megan went to the kitchen to make a light dinner, and Alex helped her. They had a simple dinner of spaghetti and a salad, and then they returned to the living room to listen to some soft music by candlelight while reclining on the couch and talking some more. Alex had assured her that he loved her and expected them to be together for a long time, and Megan felt better. Alex also felt better and realized that her insecurity stemmed from her experience with Amir and her fear of it happening again. Explaining about the meetings and his attempts to encourage Juan to see a doctor convinced her that everything was all right, and anything else she may have imagined was just that – her imagination.

When all was well again, Alex brought his hand under her top and fondled her. It was turning into a good evening, and the music, the candlelight, and Megan's softness made everything perfect. Megan loved how it felt. She could feel his fingers running over her nipple, and then holding her breast. She closed her eyes as she concentrated on his fondling, and she could feel herself begin to tingle. She turned to face him, and he kissed her sweetly, and then deeply, and she brought her hand down between them to feel him. He was incredibly hard, and she could feel him straining against the fabric of his jeans. He could feel her fingers and their gentle pressure against his crotch, and he pushed himself up on his elbow.

"Get up," he said.

Megan got up off the couch and he followed. He took her hand and led her to her bedroom, lighting the small lamp on her dresser. When he turned to her, he kissed her and placed his hands under her top, feeling her while gradually raising it up over her head. He reached behind her and unhooked her bra, pulling it off and placing kisses along her neck and bare shoulders. He undid the button and zipper of her pants and slipped his hands inside the elastic of her panties, cupping her butt cheeks in both hands, squeezing them. Megan was quickly unbuttoning his shirt, and then undoing his belt and zipper. She pulled off the remainder of her clothes as he did the same, and when they were both naked, hurriedly got under the covers of the bed and came together, kissing, fondling, holding, becoming entwined with one another and feeling all there was to feel of the other.

They were both in a hurry for they hadn't made love in over a week since their first time Friday before last, and now they couldn't wait. Now was not the time for slow and steady lovemaking, there was no time. Alex removed the covers and pushed her legs apart, getting between them and burying his face in her tender folds until he was deftly manipulating her clit, and she was quickly unraveling at the seams, moaning and soon trembling, signaling the beginnings of an eruption. Alex quickly moved on top of her, impaling her and causing her to cry out, pumping rapidly and causing her to orgasm as she moaned loudly and thrashed, in turn causing his own orgasm to strike, his semen shooting into her with each driving thrust. It was an incredible joining, and they breathed raggedly as they gradually recovered and returned to normal.

"I love you, Megan," he whispered roughly.

"God, that was wonderful," she breathed. "Let's take a shower."

They pulled themselves from bed and took a quick shower, drying themselves and then moving through the apartment naked. Megan turned on the heater for their comfort and then went over to look at Azuki Bean, who was now curled up and fast asleep. Alex was now seriously considering purchasing his own hedgehog.

"So what sort of practical jokes _can_ you play with a hedgehog?" he asked.


	72. Shelter Cove

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: There are three phrases in this chapter that I would very much like to have translated into French. If there is anyone out there who can do this, I would greatly appreciate it if you could e-mail me. Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editor Archeology 101.

Chapter 72

Shelter Cove

_Saturday afternoon_

Christine was ready when Erik came to pick her up, and she had her overnight bag packed. This would be their first overnight trip since getting back together and she was excited…at least she hoped they'd be spending the night somewhere. They were both dressed casually and she grabbed her jacket and purse before they headed out the door.

Erik placed her overnight case in the back seat of the Range Rover and they drove off, heading south. Christine didn't ask where they were going or what time they'd be back because she wanted it to be a surprise. She just knew that whatever Erik had planned would be wonderful. Even when the unexpected happened, like when they were stuck up a muddy hill in a rainstorm, it didn't matter, because they were together.

They were now going south on the PCH and Christine gazed out the window, staring at the coastline. It was still overcast, which wasn't surprising, but it wasn't expected to rain and the seagulls were out. It was a view she'd taken for granted all her life until she'd met Erik, and this was because everything looked new when they were together. She looked over at him, and he turned to look at her at the same moment, and she saw such love in his eyes. He reached over and took her hand as they continued southward.

They'd been on the road for about a half hour when Erik took a turn-off towards Shelter Cove, which Christine knew was a rural fishing village along the coast. They drove along a frontage road for a couple miles until they came to a stretch of land that jutted out towards the ocean, and it was here that Christine saw that there was a large event being held, the staging area gaily decorated with ships' masts and flagpoles strung with nautical flags, which was surprising considering the rural nature of the area. They found parking in a designated lot, and as Christine alighted from the car, she immediately noticed the crisp smell of the ocean and the smells normally associated with a fishing village, which she loved.

"Welcome to the Lost Cove Oyster Festival," Erik smiled as he took her hand.

"Really?" Christine looked at him wide-eyed. "I've heard of it, but I've never had a chance to attend!"

Indeed, the Lost Cove Oyster Festival was a much anticipated event, not only for the food and festivities, but also for the fact that the most exquisite pearls in the Pacific Northwest were bought and sold among jewelry brokers and dealers at this once-a-year event and was available to the public. The exotic and glamorous nature of this weekend ensured that at least 20,000 would be in attendance, and this explained the large area covered by tents, concessions, and dining commons. As they walked along, they saw numerous tents offering oysters on the half shell or prepared in unlimited ways, various gift tents, a play area for children, face painters, clowns who made balloon animals, art exhibitions, and a dance floor and stage for a band. It was a festive carnival atmosphere, and Erik was glad to see that Christine was enjoying it.

They stopped briefly at a food booth to order some oysters on the half along with a couple bottles of water, and they sat at one of the nearby tables to enjoy this delicacy. Erik squeezed some lemon over an oyster and then skewered it on a fork, holding it up for Christine, who smiled and opened wide as Erik popped it into her mouth. She could taste the lemon and the incredibly fresh oyster and couldn't help but to close her eyes and relish the unbelievable purity of it. She had even begun moaning, so captivated was she by the flavor. Erik had to smile for it was almost like watching her in the throes of an orgasmic release.

When she finished her morsel, she smiled and opened her eyes. "That had to be _the_ best oyster I've ever had in my life!" she beamed.

"I don't doubt it," Erik smiled.

In return, Christine prepared an oyster with lemon for Erik and fed it to him, and he also closed his eyes to thoroughly experience its freshness, and he had to agree that it was superb.

When they finished eating, they once again began to tour the grounds and came upon a number of charming gift booths. To remember this day and their first visit to the Oyster Festival, Christine selected a commemorative paperweight and sweatshirt, and Erik selected a bottle of wine from a local vineyard. There were numerous jewelry displays, so they stopped at one that was especially nice and looked over the selection of pearl jewelry. Erik called Christine over to try on a necklace and a pair of earrings, and Christine was awed by their beauty. The necklace contained a large black pearl and diamonds, as did the earrings, and she agreed that they were the most beautiful she had ever seen. Pleased with his choice, Erik asked the clerk to ring it up, and Christine was appalled to learn that the set was $700, which he paid in cash!

When Erik turned to face her, Christine seemed to be in shock. "Are you all right, darling?" he asked.

Christine had her hand over her mouth and didn't speak, but she hugged him and then whispered, "Thank you," and kissed him.

They continued on their way again, but Christine self-consciously tightened the backs of her earrings to make sure she wouldn't lose them. She was unaccustomed to wearing valuables and could only imagine getting robbed as they walked along.

They wandered around the entire festival complex over the next two and a half hours and saw art exhibits, jewelry displays, an oyster farming exhibition, and the empty dance floor. "Are you tired, love?" Erik asked, for Christine had become quiet and looked worn.

"A little bit," she admitted.

"Then let's go," he smiled, and he took her hand as they made their way back to the parking lot.

Christine had had a wonderful time and loved sharing the experience with Erik, but she was glad they were leaving now. Her feet were tired and she felt like she could use a nap.

As they walked through the large parking area between the other cars to their own, there were others who were also walking back to leave the festival for the day, so it wasn't unusual when another gentleman walked behind them as they approached the Range Rover and unlocked the door.

"Give me your wallet!" a deep voice ordered threateningly.

Erik was about to open the door for Christine when they both turned towards the voice. A muscular man in his mid-thirties stood holding a gun pointed at them.

"Excuse me?" Erik asked casually.

"You heard me, give me your wallet! I saw you pay in cash, you're loaded! Hand it over!"

Erik noted that the man was tense, but not afraid. He held the gun steady, which meant he'd probably done this many times before. Christine saw just the gun and could only see Erik shot and dying in a pool of blood…

Erik removed his wallet from his back pocket and tossed it to him, but it came up short. The man leaned forward, intent on catching it, his eyes on the wallet. Christine thought everything moved in slow motion as Erik brought his left foot forward and kicked the man's gun-wielding hand, causing him to scream as he broke his wrist. Christine screamed when the gun discharged into the air before it fell. In a swift motion, as though choreographed, Erik spun, allowing his momentum to propel his leg towards the man's head, his leather shoe contacting the man's jaw, effectively breaking it and knocking him to the ground. The man wasn't quite unconscious but was stunned as he lay on the ground. Christine was backed against the car as Erik picked up his wallet and went to her, holding her.

"Christine, are you all right?" he asked

"Uh-huh," she replied blankly. She couldn't believe what Erik had done. The man could have killed them, yet Erik had disabled him with hardly any effort and with a calm that seemed _unreal_. This was the second time she'd seen him do this. Who _was_ this man that had no fear?

_She's in shock_ he thought. In a few moments, there were numerous footsteps running their way and they were soon joined by the police and others who'd heard the shot as the gun-wielding man was cuffed and taken into custody as Erik explained the events. The man was in considerable pain as he was brought to his feet, his right hand hanging limply and his left hand attempting to keep his jaw immobile even as he whimpered in pain. His gun was recovered and immediately placed in a plastic bag as evidence. After providing statements, Erik helped Christine into the car and they departed the festival grounds.

"Perhaps I'd better take you home," Erik said gently as they drove back along the frontage road to the freeway. "That was a lot of excitement and you'll feel better in familiar surroundings. We can do this another time."

"No," Christine murmured. "Please, I don't want to go home just yet. I'll be all right…as long as you're with me."

And so they drove down the town's main street as Erik held Christine's hand. She'd hardly spoken since leaving the festival and Erik was concerned for her. They eventually took a couple side streets until they arrived at the Mariner's Inn, a small but charming two-story bed and breakfast that was decorated in an attractive turn-of-the-century seafaring motif.

Erik retrieved their bags from the backseat and they walked into the comfortable lobby. The proprietor, a pleasant-looking woman in her late fifties, smiled broadly as they approached the counter.

"Good afternoon, folks," she smiled. "Are you here for the Oyster Festival?"

"Yes, we are. Erik Dupont," he smiled pleasantly as he presented his credit card.

After processing his card, she presented two key cards and said cheerfully, "The Meridian Suite is up the stairs and all the way down to your left."

They climbed the thickly carpeted stairs and walked down the elegant hallway until they reached the end, and then opened the room with the key card.

When they walked into the suite, Christine was amazed at its spaciousness and elegance. Everything about the room spelled comfort, and she loved it. The living room had a large, elegantly draped picture window and overstuffed furnishings, entertainment system, and all the amenities. Christine walked into the bedroom and she was very pleased by its attractive décor, thinking it looked fit for a magazine, or a resort. The colors and furnishings were luxurious, especially the canopied king-sized bed, and she was impressed. On a whim, she removed her shoes and threw herself onto the bed, sinking into the middle. She stretched her limbs out, but wasn't able to reach the edges of the large bed.

When she looked up, she saw that Erik had followed her to the bedroom and was looking at her from the doorway, amused. He came over to her and sat on the side of the bed. He smiled down at her and brushed the hair from the side of her face.

"Why don't you take a nap, my love?" he suggested. "Get some rest, and by the time you wake up, we'll be ready to go out to dinner."

"What will you do while I'm sleeping?" she asked. "Don't you want to take a nap, too?"

Erik smiled. "No, I'm not tired. But I'll be here by the time you awake." He placed a kiss on her lips and then took his leave, closing the door.

Christine wondered what Erik would do while she slept. As she looked around the bedroom, she had to smile. It wasn't every day she had a chance to sleep in a room as luxurious as this one. She tried not to think about the fact that they could have been killed just a half hour ago and let out a wide yawn. She closed her eyes, and it wasn't long before she was sound asleep.

Erik returned to the living room and walked about. The room was large and it had a large screen plasma TV and stereo system, but he wasn't interested in watching TV for two hours. He left their suite after locking the door and drove off in the Range Rover.

* * *

Christine awoke slowly. When she opened her eyes, Erik was sitting beside her, watching her. 

"What are you looking at, mister?" she asked softly.

"At the most beautiful woman in the world," he whispered, "whom I just happen to be madly in love with." He leaned over and kissed her, and she smiled as she looked into his eyes.

_I'm so lucky, _she thought. _Thank you, God… _

"You must have been very tired, you slept almost two hours. It's almost seven, are you hungry?" he asked.

"I think so. What did you do for two hours?"

"I went to the beach, saw some dolphins, and composed."

"Really? May I hear it?"

Erik closed his eyes and began to hum. It wasn't a sad piece and it wasn't a happy piece, but it was beautiful…haunting, and it seemed to strike a chord within her. Christine felt her heart swell with emotion.

When he finished, he asked, "How did it make you feel, cherie?"

Christine took a moment to gather herself. "It was beautiful… It made me feel so… I don't know…"

"Was it powerful?"

"Yes, but not overly. It kind of sneaks up on you, and then it captures you."

Erik nodded at her assessment of his next overture. "Good. Lets go eat!"

They kept a small light on in the bedroom and living room, and in ten minutes they were out the door. Christine saw that it was already dark. There were no stars visible due to the overcast, but it was still brightly lit along Main Street due to the visitors in town for the Oyster Festival. They drove down Main Street towards the water, and Christine noticed that it became darker the farther away from downtown they went. They drove down to the frontage road and then onto an unmarked side street that ended several yards from a bluff, which was blocked by a large yellow caution sign and several reflectors.

Erik parked next to some other cars in a dirt parking lot that was lit by a lone light bulb hanging from a pole. As he helped Christine out of the car, she could smell the ocean air and hear the waves, which seemed very close, but there were no other cars on the road this far out. Aside from the other cars in the parking log, it seemed very desolate. He took her hand and they walked along a plain asphalt walkway, approaching some corrugated metal fencing. Hung on the fence was a large piece of driftwood that had _The Shoals_ burned onto it, and it was visible thanks to another bare light bulb hanging over it. Christine vaguely thought that this was the sort of thing one saw at a garage or junkyard. Considering their grimy surroundings, had she not been with Erik, she was sure she would have been more than ready to leave right now.

As they walked up to the fence, Erik placed his hand through a hole in the metal and pulled, and it opened smoothly like a well-oiled gate. When they walked through it, Christine saw a large building constructed with the same corrugated metal, and it looked like it was once a boathouse or a garage, but she didn't think it was that now. She recalled Mocha Bee's and its plain exterior, but this was nowhere close to being considered habitable although there were more light bulbs around the building on this side of the fence, and she wondered why Erik had brought her here. It was only her trust in him that kept her here now.

Following the light bulbs, they came to another metal door on the side of the building, and Erik held it open for Christine to step through. She saw a dark wall three feet in front of her from the door, and she thought it looked like the entrance to a seedy bar where they always had signs warning that no one under 21 was allowed, and she wondered if this was a bar.

When they walked past the wall and entered the main room, Christine was surprised to see that it was actually a very pleasant, albeit dimly lit, dining room with booths and tables. It wasn't nearly as crowded as one would expect during an event like the Oyster Festival, so it was obviously a hometown secret.

"Erik Dupont, you son-of-a-gun! Where've you been keeping yourself!" a jovial gray-haired woman exclaimed as she walked quickly towards him with arms open wide.

Erik chuckled and embraced her, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Mildred, you haven't changed a bit! Still keeping this place a secret, are you?"

"I have to!" she exclaimed staunchly. "We have to have one place in town to call our own!"

Erik placed his arm around Christine. "Mildred, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Christine Karlsson. She's the one that helps me keep my sanity."

Mildred smiled warmly and shook her hand with both of hers. "I'm so pleased to meet you, Christine," she smiled genuinely. "I told him a long time ago that he should settle down, and I'm so glad to see he's _finally_ taken my advice," she winked at her.

Christine liked Mildred's straight-forward manner. "I'm very pleased to meet you," she smiled.

Mildred showed them to an intimate booth in a corner and left them a couple menus. Christine looked around at their surroundings and loved the intimate setting. She was reminded of movies where a couple would go to a romantic seaside rendezvous just like this one, and now Erik had brought her to just such a place, and she loved it.

He gently took her hand and Christine brought her attention back to him. "Are you happy, my love?" he asked.

"I've never been happier," she said, and she meant it.

"Neither have I," he said softly. He was thinking that he had introduced her to Mildred as his girlfriend, but she wasn't his girlfriend. She was more than that…much more.

"What are you thinking about, love?" Christine asked. It seemed that he'd zoned out momentarily.

He gazed at her for a moment before speaking. "I was just thinking about how very much I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," Christine whispered, and he kissed her.

They had a wonderful dinner of chateaubriand with a fine cabernet, and dessert of strawberry shortcake. When they finished eating, they relaxed over a cup of coffee and a latte and spoke quietly, occasionally laughing, and feeling wonderful.

When they finally took their leave, Mildred called after them, "And next time, don't stay away so long!"

Christine chuckled. She really liked her.

As they walked out of the building, Erik led her the other way toward some stairs that descended down to the shoreline. Although the waves had seemed so close, Christine could see now that they weren't that close at all, but had just seemed so in the quiet evening. It was so romantic strolling along the beach with Erik. There was no one else about, and there was just enough illumination from the building to light their way. They stopped after awhile and Erik wrapped his arms around her from behind as she stared out at the dark ocean, the oil derricks gleaming brightly in the distance. His arms felt so wonderful, and she leaned her head back on his chest.

Everything he ever wanted in the world was here, now, in his arms. He was so happy, and grateful for whatever grace was granted him to know such love as this. He closed his eyes and brought his hands up under her top to cup her breasts. He slowly rubbed her nipples with his thumbs, moving them in small circles. He was hard, and as his breathing deepened, he began to rub himself up against her. He could feel Christine rubbing against him in return, grinding her butt against his cock, her breathing shallow. He brought his hand down between her legs and felt her crotch through her pants, and she was hot, and wet.

Christine turned in his arms to face him, and he kissed her deeply, hungrily, and he could feel his resolve unraveling from her heady female scent.

"Let's go," he said.

They walked back to the car and then drove back to the bed and breakfast, the air heavy between them. They didn't speak when they parked or when they ascended the stairs to their suite, but with the door finally locked behind them, they headed immediately to the bedroom, removing their jackets as they went.

Erik could wait no longer as he quickly took Christine in his arms, kissing her and stripping her of her clothing so he could feel every part of her under his hands. She felt warm and smelled wonderful...like a woman, and he couldn't have her soon enough. He removed his clothing just as quickly and then gently laid her across the bed. His hands tangled in her hair as he smothered her with kisses, and Christine wrapped her arms around him tightly and entwined her legs with his. She brought her hand down between them and surprised him by taking hold of his stiffened member, quickly lowereing herself in the bed. She gently stroked the throbbing head of his cock with her tongue, sending shockwaves through his spine, before wrapping her lips firmly around him. He moaned as she took in more of him, breathing raggedly in his arousal when he saw her take all of him into her mouth. He could hardly stand it as he watched his hard flesh sliding sensuously between her lips, being devoured until there was no more, and then out again, and again and again...

In the midst of his rapture, Christine heard him whisper, but she couldn't make it out. She went lower, teasing the area under his scrotum, and she could tell he was struggling to control himself. She returned to his cock and sucked it rapidly, forcefully, until he could no longer stand it. He grabbed her and flipped her over onto her back as he continued speaking in French. She couldn't understand him, but Erik knew exactly what he was saying, what he was feeling... _You are mine, Christine, forever! No one else will ever have you! Your body and heart belong to me! No other man will __ever__ have you again!_

He was on fire, his eyes wild with lust as he pinned her to the bed, not caring that she couldn't understand a word, for she would surely understand his meaning. He placed himself between her legs and spread them wide, using his fingers to spread her lips so he could devour her. _You taste so sweet, my love, like nectar. No one else will ever have you like this. Only __MY __lips will know you._

Her clit was swollen and exquisitely sensitive, and she arched when his lips covered it and drew it into his mouth. His tongue teased her mercilessly, and she writhed and struggled, moaning and whimpering in tortured pleasure. She couldn't take any more...she needed to have him inside her...now. "Erik…Erik…please…'

He seemed to enjoy her torment, and he smiled as he spoke again, teasing… _What is that, my love? Do you beg for me to fuck you, for my cock to spread you wide and spill itself within you? Yes…yes, my love, you know you must have it…there is no other choice…_

Erik was breathing heavily and perspiring. He was painfully erect and it was all he could do to keep from taking her. But now Christine was trembling and her entire body began to shake. Erik quickly moved on top of her and plunged into her as she exploded, her orgasm sending wave upon violent wave crashing through her. She screamed and cried out as each spasm struck, her body arching powerfully. She at last felt Erik stiffen as he pounded into her, and then she heard him utter a strangled male cry as he shuddered, spasming roughly, doing what he was meant to do…

He groaned as he spilt the last of himself, his final thrust inside of her. He kissed her lips before he rolled off of her, and they both lay side by side breathing deeply, the perspiration on their bodies cooling.

_Je t'aime, Christine, _he whispered

"I love you," she whispered, but she could tell he was already asleep.

_

* * *

_

After Alex had returned home from Megan's, he checked his phone for messages and saw that there were three. He erased the first two, and the third was from Juan.

"Hey, _hermano_, just calling to say hello and see if you wanted to get together. Give me a call!"

Alex smiled at Juan's upbeat voice. He'd had a wonderful time with Megan last night, but he'd thought of Juan later that night and wondered what he was doing. What did he do on the weekends at night? Did he go out with friends? He knew Juan didn't have a girlfriend, and he'd never mentioned any other friends. As far as he knew, he was his only close acquaintance. He had a hard time imagining Juan sitting at home alone, but he knew a lot had changed. Perhaps he would give him a call tonight and they could go out for a drink or something.

Whenever he thought of him, though, it pained his heart. It hurt to know that such a wonderful and talented person had to live with the specter of death every single day. He would most likely be all right for ten to fifteen years and live his life just like anyone else during that time, but anytime after that, after his immune system had been sufficiently compromised, his health would begin to deteriorate until he would need round-the-clock care. Instead of looking forward to another possible 40 or 50 years of a normal life, he would have maybe 20 or 25, if he was lucky.

_Juan, if only things could be different…_

_

* * *

_

Megan was having a late lunch as the TV played in the background. She looked over at Azuki Bean and saw that he was running around in his wheel getting his exercise. She looked at the book on hedgehogs that she'd gotten from the bookstore yesterday and thought of Amir, smiling as she recalled what he'd said about practical jokes with hedgehogs.

_How strange that I'd be thinking about him_ _after having spent the night with Alex. Why would I be thinking about him?_

She looked over at her computer and thought about turning it on. _What's the matter with me? _She finished her burrito and threw away the wrapper._ Well, I suppose I _could_ check to see if I have any mail…_

She turned on her computer and waited as it powered up. Oddly enough, she was nervous. As the online news window popped up, so did her buddy list. She keyed in Set Up and added Amir's screen name to her buddy list. Once it'd been added, she saw that Amir was currently not online, and she was glad…and disappointed. She decided to turn off her computer and went to sit on the couch to listen to the news.

By the time the news ended an hour later, it occurred to her that she'd forgotten to check her mail.

_

* * *

_

Amir was taking this evening to indulge in something he'd not had a chance to indulge in for a very long time. He was reading a book he'd purchased from the bookstore yesterday when he'd seen Megan. It was a scientific thriller, and he was certain it was one that Megan would enjoy. As he read along, he found himself placing Megan in the role of protagonist and Alex in the role of antagonist, and for some reason this brought him pleasure.

After about an hour, after realizing that he was spending too much time thinking about Megan, he decided he'd better give it a rest. Putting the book aside, he went over and made himself a drink.

_What is she doing tonight? Is she with Alex? If I could take her out, we'd go for dinner and dancing, a walk on the pier, and then come home and make love... _

He shook his head angrily when he realized he was doing it again. He just couldn't get her out of his mind. _So this is love, _he thought, and he chuckled bitterly at the irony.

He spun and dashed his glass against the wall.

* * *

Alex and Juan were having a drink at The Gaslight on the wharf. It was a mellow evening, just a few people here on a Sunday night, not too crowded. Alex had called Juan to see if he'd like to get together, and he'd readily agreed. Although he'd seen Juan almost every day this week, he didn't mind because it was like old times. He saw him practically every day when they were in college, and now was no different as far as he was concerned. As he pondered his drink, he thought back on how they had first became lovers… 

"How's Megan doing?"

Alex was jarred from his thoughts by Juan's question. "Megan? She's fine. I saw her just yesterday. She bought a pet."

"Really? What kind?"

"A hedgehog."

"Really? Aren't they illegal in California?"

"Yes, just like ferrets and heroin, but that's never stopped anyone."

"True." Juan sipped his drink and seemed to be thinking. "I've decided to go see a doctor."

Alex turned to him, surprised. "Really?"

Juan nodded and sighed. "Yes, I can't put it off any more, it's killing me. Excuse the pun."

Alex stared. "I'll go with you."

Juan snorted and shook his head. "You don't have to, I'll be okay."

Alex felt like crying, he was so relieved. Now Juan could get the medications he needed to help extend his life. "No, I want to."

Juan nodded. "Okay," he whispered.


	73. Choices

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editor Archeology 101.

Chapter 73

Choices

_Monday morning_

Alex and Juan were sitting in the lobby of one of the city's AIDS clinics waiting to be called. When they'd first walked in, Alex was surprised by how nicely appointed it was, not the sleazy County office he was expecting. It was nine in the morning, but the lobby was already full of men and women, mostly men, young and old, but mostly young. Alex could tell that Juan was nervous but trying not to be, as was his way, but he wondered if Juan could be any more nervous than he was. He would have settled to be anywhere else in the world but here. Looking at the faces of the people in the waiting room, he thought he could almost tell who was here to be tested and who were just here as he was to support a friend or relative.

He was glad he'd been able to get the day off from work because he didn't want Juan to have to go through this alone. The clinic would perform a baseline blood test to confirm that Juan had HIV, which nowadays took only 20 minutes, but he was sure those 20 minutes would be nerve-wracking, a confirmation of what they already knew. And once that was done, a doctor would take a physical to determine what medication regimen would be best for him.

Sitting here now, Juan thought this whole thing felt like a bad medical science-fiction movie. He looked around and realized that he was surrounded by people who were all AIDS infected. Suddenly, it was as if he could hear all of their breathing, throat-clearing and coughing, and he wondered if the virus could be air-borne. He wished he could put some space between himself and the man sitting next to him. Even a face mask would have given him comfort at this point. If not for Alex, he would have gotten up and left.

"Juan Aragon."

When his name was called, Juan stood and Alex accompanied him as they walked through the door that was held open for them by a pleasant healthcare worker. She had his file in her hand and led them into a small room that was furnished with a blood drawing chair and a built-in cabinet and drawers filled with supplies.

"Mr. Aragon, if you'll just roll up your sleeve and make a fist, we'll see what we can get," she smiled kindly as she tied a rubber strap tightly around his left bicep. She worked quickly and efficiently, swabbing his arm with an alcohol prep and then prodding the crook of his arm with her fingertip to locate a suitable vein. She found one in short order and injected the needle into his arm, the blood flowing quickly and steadily into a test tube with a colored rubber stopper. When it was filled, she replaced it with a second, which also filled rapidly. "You've got great veins," she smiled.

Juan looked at her blankly, hardly aware of what she was saying. He kept hearing a quote he'd heard long ago and wished he could get it out of his mind…_Today is the first day of the rest of your life…_

When she finished, she taped a band-aid onto his arm and smiled. "You're all done! This will take about 20 minutes and then we'll call you back in to talk to the doctor. You can either come back in 20 minutes or wait in the lobby."

"Thank you." _That wasn't too bad, _he thought. They walked back to the lobby, but Juan couldn't sit there just waiting for 20 minutes, he was too nervous.

"What do you want to do now?" Alex asked when they were back outside.

"Let's get something to drink," he suggested. "I saw a store just down the street."

* * *

They walked back into the waiting room and sat with the others waiting to be tested until Juan was called ten minutes later. They were shown to an examination room and told the doctor would be with them shortly. 

"I guess this is it," Juan stated as he sat on the examination table.

Alex wished Juan's family could have been here as well. It wasn't right that they weren't. "Don't worry, _hermano_," Alex said reassuringly. "I'll always be here for you."

"I know," he said softly. This was like a nightmare he couldn't wake up from. He wanted to scream, but he was undeniably trapped. For the first time in his life, he was completely and irrevocably screwed. He closed his eyes.

The door to the room opened suddenly and a calm, middle-aged man in a white lab coat walked in, his badge identifying him as Norman Tucker, M.D.

"Mr. Aragon," he addressed Juan as he took a chair. "What made you want to come see us today?" he asked pleasantly.

Juan was somewhat put off by this doctor's question. It should have been obvious why he was here, and he didn't appreciate the doctor's irrelevance. "Well, I tested positive for HIV and I wanted to get treatment," he said impatiently.

"So you've been tested before?" he asked.

"Yes, I took a home test and it said I was positive, so here I am."

"Hmm…" Dr. Tucker carefully looked over Juan's file.

Juan was becoming very impatient and uneasy with this doctor the longer he had to be here. He was seriously considering walking out and finding another doctor, one who would seem more interested in treating him…

As he studied the file, Dr. Tucker mumbled, "It looks like we have a problem…but at least it's not your problem…"

Juan became alarmed. What else could go wrong with his life? "What is it?" he asked, frightened.

Dr. Tucker looked up, meeting his eye. "According to the test you just took, you're negative."

Juan stared, confused. "What do you mean?"

The doctor smiled again. "Not all home tests are created equal, some have higher incidences of giving false readings than others. A few people have even committed suicide after taking a home test, and then it's found out later that it was a false positive. That's why you should always come in and get tested at a clinic, so you know for sure."

Juan seemed dazed. "I don't have HIV?" he asked.

Dr. Tucker smiled again. "Nope, you're clean. We're all done here, enjoy your day," and then he left the room.

Juan looked over at Alex, who was grinning. He hopped off the examination table and Alex embraced him roughly.

"You're clean, man!" Alex crowed. "You're all right! You're going to live!"

Juan still looked dazed. "I'm all right…I'm all right," he mumbled.

"Come on, let's go home," Alex said happily.

Juan couldn't remember the drive home. Later, he would say that it was fifteen minutes of lost time. But as he and Alex walked into his apartment, he thought everything looked so different now. Everything looked so _bright_. He went over and opened the drapes and his sliding glass door that opened onto his balcony and he looked out over the city and down into the garden. Everything looked so wonderful. He could feel tears running down his face.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked from behind him.

Juan turned around, he'd almost forgotten Alex was there. He walked up to him and put his arms around him in a warm hug. "Thank you, Alejandro," he whispered. "Thank you for being there for me."

Alex embraced him in return. Juan was his oldest and dearest friend, and he was so thankful he was all right. Everything was all right now. He was about to ask him if he'd like to go out to dinner tonight to celebrate, when suddenly…Juan's lips were on his!

Alex was shocked and he stiffened. But then, he began to remember…and his heart filled with warmth. He slowly closed his eyes and kissed him in return. Juan felt it, and he gently pushed his tongue into his mouth, feeling him once again. He knew Alex's heart belonged to Megan, but for now, in this kiss, he would be his…

It seemed they were that way for a long time, and yet, not long enough. When they stopped, Juan felt wonderful…but he could tell that Alex was confused.

"Thank you," he whispered, but Alex could only stare at him.

He didn't know what this meant. He loved Megan, but what was it that he'd just felt? What was that all about? Just a memory…or something else? He needed to think…he needed to go.

"I'd better get home," he said softly. "We'll get together later this week."

"Friday, you and Megan, dinner here. Okay?" Juan smiled. "To celebrate."

Alex nodded and smiled. "Okay, I'll tell Megan. Talk to you soon."

He left the apartment and drove home, thinking all the while about what had just happened. Juan was no longer HIV positive…so what did that mean for them now? He was in love with Megan and had even entertained the thought that they'd get married someday and have children... But there was something wrong with that now. _What's the matter with me? I do love Megan…so what's changed? Juan is my friend. He's my friend…_

_

* * *

_

_Monday evening_

"Hello?"

"Hi, baby, it's me."

"Hi, sweetheart! How's it going?"

"Fine, I've got some great news."

"What is it?"

"Juan's not HIV positive."

"What! You're kidding! How'd you find out?"

"He went to the clinic to get tested this morning, and he tested negative. The home test he took was wrong. The doctor said that happens sometimes with home tests."

"Wow, that's great! So did you go with him this morning?"

"Yes, for moral support. He invited us to dinner at his place Friday evening to celebrate. Can you make it?"

"I think so. We're practicing for the year-end show, so it'll depend on what time we get out."

"Great, and what're you doing tomorrow night?"

"The same thing I'm always doing…homework, and studying for finals."

"I wondered if you'd like to come over for dinner tomorrow."

"I'll tell you what…how about you come over here for dinner…7:00? Azuki Bean misses you."

Alex smiled. "Now there's an offer I can't refuse. I've missed him, too. I'll see you then, baby."

"Bye."

Megan smiled as she hung up and went over to her pet. "Hey, Beansie," she cooed gently. "How's my baby?" She opened the cage door and picked him up. He'd finally gotten used to her scent and appearance and had stopped rolling up into a ball whenever she reached into his cage. She held him up in the palm of her hand and he looked at her, his nose sniffing the air. She placed him on the floor to give him a chance to stretch his legs, and sure enough, he began to waddle towards her, stopping when he was next to her. She picked him up again and began to massage him, and his eyes closed slightly, as though he enjoyed it. She placed him on the floor again so he could explore his surroundings while she went to wash her hands.

She thought about the fact that Juan was no longer HIV positive. She was genuinely happy for him, but she wondered if it would have any effect on Alex's relationship with him. She'd been re-evaluating her feelings for Alex since her run-in with Amir at the bookstore and Alex's subsequent reaction to it, and she was coming to some conclusions…

_

* * *

_

_Monday night_

AK1000: Good evening, Megan.

LeDancr: Good evening, Amir.

AK1000: How are you tonight, my dear?

LeDancr: I'm fine, thanks. How have you been?

AK1000: I've been well. Have you found your hedgehog book to be helpful?

LeDancr: Yes, it's been very helpful. Thank you.

AK1000: Have you had an opportunity to read the other book yet?

LeDancr: No, not yet, but I look forward to it.

AK1000: Are you all right this evening, cherie?

LeDancr: Yes, why do you ask?

AK1000: You seem a little reserved. Perhaps this wasn't a good time for me to talk with you.

LeDancr: No, I'm sorry, it's just me. I guess I just have a lot on my mind right now.

AK1000: If you ever need a listening ear, I hope you'll feel free to talk with me. I'll always be here for you.

LeDancr: Thank you, I really appreciate that.

_I do want to talk to you, Amir. I wish you were here so I could talk to you face to face. I wish things could be like they were before. I wish…_

AK1000: I understand you're with Alex now and I respect that. But I wonder if you'd like to get together for coffee sometime, just to talk.

LeDancr: Well, maybe. I'll have to let you know. But it'd be nice to see you once in awhile.

AK1000: I'd love to see you from time to time, too. It's getting late, I'd better let you get to bed. Goodnight, Megan.

LeDancr: Goodnight, and thanks for IMing me.

_

* * *

_

_Tuesday evening_

"Checkmate." Erik looked up as Amir left the table and paced. "You want to tell me what's wrong? I can't remember when I've beaten you in so short a time."

Amir ran a hand through his hair and stopped before the fireplace. He shook his head as he leaned against the mantel. "She's making a mistake," he hissed.

"Are you talking about Megan?"

"Yes! She doesn't belong with him."

Erik began to put away the chess pieces. "But you do remember why she's with him in the first place, yes?"

Amir rubbed his eyes as though he didn't want to remember. "I don't care! I made a mistake…a stupid mistake," he whispered miserably.

"So what are you going to do?"

He sighed. "I don't know what I can do. I already begged her to forgive me, but she's happy with Alex. She won't leave him."

Erik put up the chess set and stood next to his friend as he sipped his margarita. He placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "Until she marries him, there's always a chance, mon ami. Just be there for her…be her friend. And if something should happen between them, you'll be the first in line."

Amir nodded. "I'll remember that."

* * *

It was almost 7:00 and Megan was putting the finishing touches on dinner. She was thinking that Alex would be there any minute now when her phone rang. 

"Hello?"

"Hi, Megan, it's me." It was Christine.

"Hi! How're you doing?"

"Okay. I just wanted to know if you'd like to go to Burrito Express tomorrow night? I'm craving their chile rellenos."

Just then, there was a knock on her door. _That's Alex._

"Okay, I'll come by at seven. I gotta go now, so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Great, bye!"

When Megan opened the door, Alex stood there with a bouquet of flowers and a smile. "Hi, _chiquita!_ How's my favorite ballerina?"

"She's great now that you're here," Megan grinned.

"These are for you, love," he said as he handed her the bouquet.

"Thank you, they're really beautiful," she beamed, and she kissed him. She invited him in while she went into the kitchen to retrieve a vase for the flowers.

Alex went immediately into the living room to see Azuki Bean. "Hey, guy, how's my buddy?" he said softly. He opened the cage and picked him up, stroking him gently and massaging a finger into his quills. Azuki Bean sniffed him and began walking on his hand and up his arm. "Did you miss me, Zuki?" he smiled. By the time Azuki Bean had reached his shoulder, Megan had come into the living room and placed the flowers on the coffee table.

"Looks like he's missed you," she grinned, noticing that her pet was now on his shoulder.

Alex placed the hedgehog back in his cage and went to wash his hands. When they sat down to eat, he was pleased with the spread that Megan had prepared. As they served up their plates, she asked about Juan and Alex described their visit to the clinic yesterday and the meeting with Dr. Tucker. He was still a little upset by the doctor's approach, but at least it had a good ending.

Megan explained that they were having dance practice for the year-end production on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings now, so she wasn't sure if she would be able to make it to dinner on Friday or not, but she would try.

When they'd finished eating and were ready for dessert, Megan brought out a slice of chocolate cake a la mode with Cherry Garcia, and Alex loved it. When dessert was done, they went into the kitchen to rinse off the dishes and put away the food, and then retired to the living room to relax.

Megan put on some soft music and turned down the lights, and then lit a few candles on the bookshelf, which created a romantic atmosphere. They cuddled comfortably on the couch and talked quietly about what was happening in their lives, and about Juan.

"Why did Juan decide to move back to San Francisco if his family was no longer here?" Megan asked.

"He was born here, grew up here, and went to school here. Even if his family was no longer here, it's the only place he's really known." He didn't mention the fact that Juan had in fact come back for him.

"That's so sad not to have your family any more. And he doesn't even have your family any more, except you."

"Yes, I'm really all he has left, and all because he came out."

Megan thought about this. "So was it worth it? Coming out, that is."

Alex gestured helplessly. "You'd have to ask him. But in my opinion, no, it wasn't worth it, because he's the only one who's been hurt. And nothing's changed from him coming out. Nobody's changed their opinion, and he's been ostracized by the Latino community."

Megan truly felt sorry for him. "It would have been easy for you to ostracize him, too, along with everyone else. Why didn't you?"

"If Christine told you that she was an all-out lesbian, would you ostracize her?"

She answered immediately. "I'd be shocked, but no, I'd never ostracize her. She's like my sister."

"That's how I feel about Juan. He's like a brother to me."

"But you guys were lovers at one time. How do you let that go?"

"The same way you do. Amir was your lover at one time, right? But you've had to let that go. And now you're with me."

Megan thought about that. She would always love Amir, but she loved Alex, too. Even now he was fondling her, and she would never allow it unless she loved him. Certainly she wouldn't allow him to touch her if she only thought of him as a close friend.

Alex noticed her silence. "What are you thinking about, babe?"

"Nothing really…just that I love you," she said quietly.

Alex was surprised, he wasn't expecting this, and he smiled. "I love you," he whispered, and he kissed her deeply, laying her down on the couch and enjoying the feel of her. Megan loved his closeness, his tenderness…she loved the way he smelled, the way he tasted…yet now she was reminded of something else…

Alex undid her pants and pulled them off along with her panties until she only wore her top, which had been pushed up to reveal her breasts. He unbuckled his belt and removed his own pants, and she could see that he was erect, swollen…

She gently took hold of his cock and guided it to her lips, and she tasted his pre-cum that was on the tip. She spread it over the tip with her tongue before taking him into her mouth, and she heard him moan. She took hold of his scrotum and squeezed gently while she sucked his cock back and forth as his breathing became labored.

"Megan…" he whispered roughly.

She could taste more of him…she loved it and she sucked harder…

He pushed her back onto the couch as he moved on top of her and plunged into her. He hadn't prepared her, but she was already very wet so that he slid in smoothly. She jerked abruptly when the head of his penis breached her opening, and she loved the sudden shock of his entry.

Alex pumped strenuously, his arms supporting his weight on either side of her as his hair shook loosely with each stroke. She watched his face as he strained above her, grimacing with the effort, grunting, and then seeing his face when he orgasmed. He was ejaculating into her, and she could feel his swollen cock straining inside of her, and finally slowing until he was done.

When he finished, he struggled to stand so he wouldn't lay across her with his full weight. But before he could move away, Megan took hold of his now flaccid penis and put it in her mouth, causing Alex to groan unexpectedly due to its extreme sensitivity. She sucked and licked it clean, tasting him and herself, but Alex had to pull away. "I'm sorry, baby, I can't now…" he breathed. He sat on the armrest of the couch to catch his breath and to calm back down, his back to her.

Megan felt incomplete…she needed to come _now_, but Alex was still unable to help her. Left with no other choice, she began to touch herself, sliding her fingers between her legs and feeling his cum within her. She used it now to lubricate herself as she began to stimulate her clit. She tightened her muscles as she slid her fingers back and forth rapidly across her swollen bud, and she soon felt herself approaching the brink of her release. She'd begun moaning, and when Alex heard her, he turned around and saw the most erotic sight he'd ever seen…

Megan was writhing sinuously on the couch, her hands between her silky legs, her fingers rapidly rubbing her throbbing clit. Her eyes were tightly closed and her neck arched, and her mouth slightly open as she moaned softly, tightening her pelvic muscles. Alex had begun to breath deeply as he watched her masturbate, and as she neared her climax, he had unknowingly taken hold of himself and begun to stroke his shaft. When her orgasm struck, Megan cried out, arching her back and grimacing, thrusting her pelvis with each spasm as she continued rubbing herself. Alex had worked himself up to ejaculating again as he rapidly stroked his cock, breathing raggedly. His eyes were tightly closed when he came, and he moaned sharply as his cum squirted out onto the carpet.

After he had come, he slowed his breathing and gradually opened his eyes. It was one of the most intense orgasms he'd ever had. He looked over at Megan and saw her watching him. She had seen him masturbate to orgasm.

"You were so beautiful," he said softly. "I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life."

"I was thinking the same thing about you," she smiled.

Alex would have spent the night, but since tomorrow was a work day and Megan had an early morning class, he took his leave before it got any later. He kissed her goodnight and promised to call later in the week before Friday.

After he left, Megan gathered her robe to take a shower before heading to bed. It had been a very pleasant evening and she'd enjoyed making love with Alex even though she'd had to garner her own release. Seeing him masturbate had been incredible, and she knew she would remember it for a long time. She was surprised he'd been able to ejaculate again since he'd done so earlier, but perhaps he was very aroused by seeing her masturbate as he said. She gathered her hair up in her shower cap and stepped into the shower.

The hot water felt so soothing, and she began to wonder about her feelings for Alex. She was sure she loved him, yet, it was different from the way she loved Amir. As she lathered her sponge with body wash, she tried to analyze her reasoning. Alex was wonderful and he made her laugh. He was handsome and intelligent, and he truly loved her. And he would never cheat on her the way Amir had. But then she was reminded of last Friday's dinner and of the way she had seen Alex and Juan look at each other. She still wasn't sure what to make of it, but Alex was with _her_, and he told her every day that he loved her. She loved making love with him, and he apparently loved it as well, and he was always so gentle. What was there _not_ to love about him?

She then turned her thoughts to Amir and she immediately felt her emotions become charged. _What does that mean? _She loved Alex, but yet she never felt that way with him. Whenever she thought of Amir or saw him, he would always excite her. _Always. _That never happened with Alex even when she looked forward to seeing him. She had always loved making love with Amir, but making love with him had always been adventurous, and not always gentle. There were times when he'd taken her roughly, unexpectedly, but never against her will. And she'd always enjoyed it immensely. He was an adventurous lover, and he'd always excited her. Everything about him excited her. He seemed to be the ying to her yang. They were different, yet so alike, whereas she and Alex were alike, period.

So what did this mean? That she loved Alex because he was predictable, and Amir because he was unpredictable? It seemed she was right back where she started. But at least one thing was certain: she was with Alex because Amir had betrayed her. It was true that his letters and then his own declaration said that he deeply regretted his actions and that he loved her now. But so what? She was with Alex, whom she loved.

_But if I love him, then why am I still struggling with this?_

_

* * *

_

_Wednesday evening_

When Megan arrived at Christine's, she seemed to be in high spirits and looking forward to her chile relleno dinner. They walked down the street the five minutes it took to arrive at the Burrito Express and were shown to a very nice booth tucked into a rather obscure corner, which was nice since it isolated them from the majority of the other diners and most of the bar area.

When they received their dinners, they dug in eagerly and then caught up on the latest news.

"You're kidding! Juan's not HIV positive any more? How is that possible?"

Megan smiled. "It seems home tests aren't always reliable, and it gave him a false reading. Talk about your second chances."

"So what does that mean for you and Alex now? Do you think it'll change anything?"

Megan shrugged. "I don't know. I told him I loved him last night…but…"

Christine stopped and looked up. _"But?_ What do you mean 'but'? Either you love him or you don't!"

"I _do _love him, but, I still love Amir, too."

"Okay, but he cheated on you, and Alex has been wonderful…at least that's what you told me. So what happened?"

"Well, Amir finally told me he loved me."

"But it's too little too late, isn't it?"

Megan didn't say anything but looked down at her plate and continued eating.

Christine looked at her. "Megan?"

When she looked up, she took a sip of her margarita, but she seemed undecided.

Christine took a sip of her drink before asking the obvious. "If you had a chance to go back to Amir now, would you?"

Megan took a deep breath and looked back at her, not certain of what to say. But Christine had her answer. Megan looked away towards the bar as she took another sip, but when she didn't look back, Christine followed her gaze.

Seated at the bar were Alex and Juan. They sat facing one another as they conversed quietly and shared a drink.

Megan was still staring at them when she asked, "Do you see anything wrong with that picture?"

Christine turned again to the bar and looked closely. She thought they looked like two extremely handsome Hispanic men, obviously professional and well-to-do, just having a drink together. She looked back at Megan, wondering what she was getting at.

"Do you see Juan's right leg? It's on the leg rest of Alex's barstool between his legs."

Christine looked over and saw that she was correct. "And that means what?" she asked.

"Men don't normally put their leg on another man's barstool. They may do that to a woman to exhibit territorialism, but not to other men."

"Where the hell did you hear that?"

"In anthropology class."

Christine looked at her. "Um, I didn't take anthropology. Can you just tell me where you're going with this?"

"You remember what I told you about how they were looking at each other? This is like that."

Christine looked at her blankly. "So you're saying they're in love because they were looking at each other and now Juan's got his foot on Alex's barstool."

"Right."

Christine stared at her and sipped her drink. When she glanced back toward the bar, she saw that the men were leaving. "If you're right about this, what would you do?" she asked.

"It would really depend on what Alex wanted to do. He'd have to make a choice."

"And if he chose you, you'd stay with him even if you still loved Amir?"

Again, Megan didn't know what to say


	74. Assassin

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editor Archeology 101.

Chapter 74

Assassin

_Thursday _

"Hello?"

"Hi, baby, it's me."

"Hi, sweetheart, how are you?" Megan knew Alex would be calling and felt she needed to broach her concerns with him, although she had no idea what she was going to say since all she had at this point were just feelings.

"I'm fine, want to get together tonight?"

"I'd like to, but I can't. I have a test tomorrow and I have to study."

"Okay, I understand. I guess I'll just see you Friday at Juan's then if you get out early enough. Let me give you his address."

Megan copied it down and noted that it was in Pacific Heights. _He must be pretty well-off, _she thought. "Um, babe, I needed to talk to you about something that's kind of been bothering me, but I'm not sure how to say it. I just didn't want you to get upset if I'm wrong."

Alex became concerned. "What is it, love? If something's bothering you, I want to know about it so we can work it out."

Megan hoped she'd be able to explain adequately. "Um, I'm really happy about Juan not having HIV, but I'm concerned about whether it'll change anything between us. I know you're close to him, but…I'm just concerned that it could turn into more than that now…"

Alex was surprised. Was he so obvious, so transparent? It was true that he thought about Juan, had even fantasized about him, but he never seriously considered going back to him…not when it'd almost killed him before. No, he couldn't do it again. It was enough that Juan was back in his life and they could still have a relationship as friends. "No, love, it couldn't turn into more, and I don't want you to worry about it. What he and I had was a long time ago, and it almost killed me. I can't do it again, I don't want to do it again. I love you, Megan, and I want us to stay together for a long time."

It was comforting to hear him say it, but she still wasn't convinced. She knew what she saw when the three of them had dinner at the Sidecar, and then again when she and Christine were at the Burrito Express, and she wondered if Alex was just in denial. Of course, it could have been circumstantial and she could have read volumes into something that was just her imagination, but only time would tell.

"I love you, too, sweetheart. Thank you for understanding…I'll try to make it tomorrow if I can."

"Okay, love, see you then. Bye."

"Bye-bye."

* * *

It was lunchtime and Alex and Juan were at Paddy's, an Irish restaurant/pub that was a few doors down from the Sidecar Restaurant across from the courthouse. It was crowded and noisy, but the convenience and great food still made it a worthwhile luncheon destination. 

"So do you have a new lease on life now?" Alex asked good naturedly as he enjoyed his club sandwich.

"You could say that," Juan smiled. "I just wish I'd have gone to the clinic a lot sooner. I could've saved myself six months of worrying." He took a bite of his chicken sandwich. "What did Megan say when you told her?"

"She was excited, happy." He paused. "But she's worried now."

"Worried about what?"

"About us. She thinks we're going to get involved again."

"And what did you tell her?"

Alex sipped his water. "I told her not to worry about it, that I wanted to stay with her for a long time."

Juan nodded and took another bite of his sandwich.

* * *

Amir came in and went over to the fridge, staring into it for awhile before pulling out a bottle of Pelligrino. 

"What's up, old man?" Erik was seated at the piano.

"I listened to your CD last night. You only played for five minutes, but I liked it. That's your new overture?"

"Yes, I thought it would work for a movie or a documentary or something." He stood and walked over to his credenza. "Whatever became of Joanna?" he asked unexpectedly.

Amir sipped his water. "She's still around, but she appears to be laying low. After I threw her out, it seems she's been trying to stay under the radar, which is probably a good idea. I heard that she's dating someone again, though, and he works here."

"Do you think she'll go back to Vienna after her year is up or stay in the United States?"

"My money's on her staying here. Not necessarily here at the Phil, but she'll have more opportunities in the United States."

"And what about Roan? How's his arm?"

"It's still in a cast, but I think it'll be coming off in a few weeks." He paused. "I'm going to dismiss him from the intern program."

Erik turned to look at him. "Oh? And why is that?"

"He's a good enough worker, but he doesn't seem to understand that getting ahead isn't just about doing a good job. You know his father and you know his reputation. The acorn doesn't fall too far from the tree."

Erik looked away and nodded. Roan had been a significant thorn in his side and had been responsible for him almost losing Christine twice. He'd even attacked him and could have caused serious injury to him if he'd succeeded. He probably should have had him dismissed at that point, but he didn't. Perhaps he was just waiting for Roan to do something that would land him in jail. Amir apparently knew of what Roan had done against him and Christine all along although he'd never mentioned it, but he was correct in assuming that such an unscrupulous individual would be this way in all facets of his life, and this was certainly true of Roan.

Erik looked out the window. "What'll become of him?"

"Knowing his father, he'll still have Roan join his company and then no doubt have him run it the same way he always has…through manipulation and deceit. It apparently works for them, but it doesn't work here."

"And what about Rick De Chagny? How's he doing?"

"He's a good man, we're lucky to have him. He'll be finishing his internship soon and we'll probably offer him a position, not that he'd take it…it's hard to say. He could go to work running his family's businesses, but since his older brother Philip is first in line behind the father to run things, who knows?" He took another sip of water and looked out towards the bay. "How are things with Christine?" he asked.

Erik nodded. "Everything's great." And then he smiled. "I'm so happy."

_

* * *

_

_Friday evening_

Juan was looking forward to dinner tonight as he put the final touches on the table. It was the first real celebration of his HIV negative status and was in essence a formal declaration of his return to the world of the living. At 7:00, there was a knock at the door, and when he opened it, Alex stood there alone with a bottle of wine and a six-pack of beer.

Juan looked at him quizzically. "Where's Megan?"

"She had rehearsals for her show and she had to be there since she's the lead, but she said she'd try to make it later if they let out early. This is for you," he smiled as he held out the wine and beer.

Juan accepted it graciously. "Okay, then it's just you and me, _hombre. _Let's eat!"

Juan had Alex do the honor of opening and pouring the wine in crystal goblets as he made some musical selections for the stereo. As they took their seats, Alex recognized the china and elegant flatware that graced the table, and he was again impressed by Juan's culinary prowess. He had prepared thick medallions of fillet mignon with pink peppercorns, baked potato with sour cream and chives, grilled vegetables, a green salad with homemade vinaigrette dressing, and melon sorbet with raspberries for dessert, all accompanied by Alex's red wine. Sitting through this elegant dinner, Alex couldn't help but be reminded of other wonderful dinners they'd had together once upon a time…

"Everything's great," Alex grinned. "I see you still haven't lost your touch in the kitchen."

"Thank you, but I remember you were quite a cook yourself," Juan smiled.

As they ate, Alex asked him about his life since he'd moved out of state, and Juan described what it was like starting over in Washington. He'd gotten a job and made a few friends, but it was difficult trying to forget his family, and especially trying to get over Alex. He'd left his forwarding address with members of his family in case of emergency, but it was his sister in San Diego who had contacted him and told him of their father's death a month earlier and about their mother's plans to move in with her. It'd been a terrible blow not only to learn of his father's death, but of the fact that no one had informed him so that he could even attend the funeral, which had been large. His family had not wanted him there to remind them of their shame. Juan had started to choke up as he related the story, and Alex's heart broke for him. Alex didn't know if his parents had attended the funeral or not, although he was sure they must have known about it, but he'd been unaware of it. He wished he could have been there for him.

Alex then told him about what his life was like after Juan had moved away. He told him of his self-destructive lifestyle, the drinking, drugs and unbridled sex. His family and Adrian had been so worried, but he'd eventually recovered with their help, and it was shortly after that that he'd met Megan. Juan had had no idea that his leaving would have such destructive consequences that could very well have killed Alex, and he regretted it deeply, even if it had been the right decision at the time. He would never have forgiven himself if anything had ever happened to him.

After dinner, they sat in the living room before the fire and talked more about their lives as they sipped their drinks. Alex felt very comfortable, and indeed, it almost felt as though they'd never been separated. Juan could tell that Alex loved and respected Megan by his frequent references to her in their conversation, and he was happy for him. It made everything just that much easier…

When it was almost ten and Megan still hadn't made an appearance, it was obvious she wasn't going to make it, so Alex felt he should soon take his leave. He'd had a very enjoyable evening, and now that Juan was back in his life, he wondered if this is how it would be from now on…with Megan at his side and Juan and Adrian as his closest friends. Yet, in his heart of hearts, he just knew it couldn't be. It was a disquieting thought, but for now, it was more like an undefined feeling, a vague uneasiness in the back of his mind that things had to change…

Alex gathered his jacket as he prepared to leave, and Juan retrieved his own as he walked him out to his car. It was chilly outside, and aside from the occasional car that passed, it was quiet and pleasant in this neighborhood. The streetlights cast intermittent circles of light on the sidewalk and made it a safe and desirable place to live.

Alex suddenly had a thought. "Say, Megan's show is going to be at the Phil at the end of May when she graduates. Why don't you come with me, and then you can see her dance. She's really incredible."

Juan hesitated. "I don't think I'll be able to make it. I won't be here then."

Alex leaned against his car. "Oh? Where will you be?"

"In Washington. I'm moving back…for good."

Alex froze. "What?" he whispered, his shock evident. "Why?"

Juan looked away. "Because of you. You've got Megan now, you're happy, and you'll probably marry her. I can't stay here any more. I love you, Alejandro. I always have, and I always will. I can't keep seeing you like this…as just friends, knowing that we can never be together." His voice hitched. "I…I just…can't…"

"No…" Alex's world was exploding. Everything that held his reality together was unraveling, coming apart, falling away… He didn't know what he was saying. "But you said you were here to stay…that you wouldn't leave again. You can't leave, Juan…you said…"

Juan shook his head miserably. "No, you don't need me any more, you've got Megan. She's wonderful, and she loves you. You can have a family with her." He started to back away. "I'll see you before I leave," he murmured.

Suddenly, Alex knew what he wanted…he knew! There was no doubt, no more uncertainty. It was all crystal clear now.

"Juan," he said emotionally. "Don't leave. I love you…I love you! I never stopped. There was never anyone else. I thought I loved Megan, but in the long run I would have regretted it…I know it. _Please…you can't leave me again!"_

Alex didn't know what he was doing, but he grabbed him and kissed him fiercely, passionately, to erase any doubt from his mind that this was what he truly wanted for the rest of his life. He never wanted to be parted from Juan ever again, never…

Juan was shocked. He hadn't expected this…it was the most delirious kiss he'd ever known. Alex wanted him…he loved him!

Alex could feel Juan returning to him in the kiss, he could feel him coming back, giving him his love… He was back. He was floating on air and the world disappeared from around them…

* * *

It was almost ten and Madame Gerard was giving the dancers one last reminder before dismissing them for the night. Megan had gone through the rehearsal adequately, but she'd been distracted by wanting to make it to dinner at Juan's and she had kept looking at the clock. She was sure dinner was finished by now and even dessert, but chances were that Alex was still there having a good time. 

She normally would have brought a gift for the host if she was going to have dinner, but since dinner was now over, she decided it'd be best to just get over there as soon as possible. As she drove towards Pacific Heights, she looked at the address again. She knew where the street was although she seldom had reason to come out this way, but she made her way there in good time.

As she turned onto the street, she saw the attractive apartment buildings with their manicured lawns and thought how nice it would be to live in an area like this. There were many cars parked along the street, so she wondered if she'd be able to find a parking spot as she neared Juan's building. She drove slowly as she approached his address knowing that she would have to walk a ways if she found any place to park at all. She fortunately found the last available parking spot and then began walking, her athletic shoes silent against the pavement.

From the light of the streetlamps, she saw a couple of men kissing in front of Juan's building. She would ordinarily have ignored them since it was a common sight in San Francisco, but something about them caught her attention. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was enough to make her heart stop. It was Juan…and Alex! They were embracing and kissing deeply, passionately, and they were so involved in it that they didn't notice her walking up. Megan remained rooted to the spot for several seconds and could only stare. They were totally consumed in one another. And then she heard Alex murmur, _"Just you…it was always just you…"_

She was stunned…she felt dizzy. It would have been shocking enough if she'd seen Alex kissing another woman, but to see him kissing Juan… She turned and ran back to the car. She hurriedly started it and drove away. She wasn't consciously heading anywhere in particular but was driving to get away from a sight that her brain couldn't handle…she was in shock.

She did eventually arrive at a destination, and when she left her car, she walked woodenly into the building to get to where she knew she needed to go. She was in a haze, and everything felt strange…she moved automatically, without consciously being aware of what she was doing or where she was going. When she arrived, she knocked on the door, and when it opened, she tried to speak, but her affect was flat, devoid of emotion, mechanical. And it was obvious that something was very wrong.

"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you so late, but I wondered if I could talk to you for awhile. I don't feel like myself right now, and I think I need to talk to someone because something's not right. Everything feels strange, and I'm really sorry I came over so late…but I just needed to talk, if that's okay. I'm sorry it's so late…"

Megan looked strange, sounded strange and was acting strangely. The door opened wider so she could come in, and she did, but she was in a daze as she entered the room. She was like the walking dead.

Amir led her to a couch.

* * *

Erik was enjoying dinner at Christine's. She had prepared a Swedish dinner with all the trimmings, and Erik felt honored that she would go to this trouble. Not at all knowledgeable about the Swedish culture, Christine enjoyed introducing him to what she remembered of her early childhood in the form of songs, customs, and foods, and Erik was charmed by this window into Christine's early life. 

After dinner, they relaxed in the living room amidst candles and soothing music as Christine curled up on the couch in Erik's lap. They were quiet for several minutes and just enjoyed the peace and quiet with one another when Erik broke the silence.

"How is Megan doing now days?" he asked.

Christine thought this was a strange question for him to ask out of the blue. "She's fine, still with Alex. But I think she's starting to have second thoughts."

"Oh? And why's that?"

"She's afraid Alex is going to want to get involved with an old boyfriend. And she's still in love with Amir."

"She told you this?"

"No, not in so many words, but it's pretty obvious. How is Amir doing?"

"Not good. He knows he was stupid, and he wants Megan back."

"Life is so strange…" Christine mused.

"Yes, stranger than fiction," Erik agreed.

Christine had a thought. "Erik?"

"Hmm?"

"I was thinking about that man who tried to rob us and about how you were able to take care of him so easily. How did you ever learn to do that? You told me once that you learned it when you worked overseas."

Erik didn't respond immediately, but he knew this would come up sooner or later the closer they became. If he wanted her to share his life, he knew she would have to know about his past eventually, but he felt this knowledge would best be served in small increments, for not everyone could be expected to accept the fact that the one they loved used to be an assassin.

"Yes, I used to work for the shah when I lived in Iran. This was after I graduated. He hired me as one of his architects, and later, he made me one of his special agents. That was when I learned how to defend myself."

"What did you do as a special agent?" she asked. This sounded very glamorous, and she imagined Erik being some sort of secret agent or spy.

"I helped protect the monarchy by keeping track of our enemies, and sometimes it was very dangerous."

"Did you ever kill anyone?" she asked, excited.

"Sometimes it was unavoidable, but it was part of the job," he said honestly. He didn't feel she needed details at this point.

"Did you have guns and weapons?"

"Yes, we had whatever we needed at our disposal, but I like what I do now much better."

"I'll bet," she breathed. "So how many people did you kill?"

"I don't remember."

"Do you have an idea? Five, ten?"

"It was probably closer to two dozen."

Christine was shocked. And then she had a thought. "Did you ever have to kill a woman?"

Erik hesitated. "Some of our enemies were women operatives. They were very dangerous killers, so we had to kill them."

"You said before that you met Amir in Iran. Did you work together?"

"Yes, he saved my life." Erik recounted the story of how he was marked for death and of how Amir had smuggled them out of the country to the United States, tactfully omitting the part about the end of the duplicitous shah and his evil wife.

Christine was awed by this and now understood his close relationship with Amir. She seemed to be thinking about this when she asked another question. "Did the shah have a harem?"

Erik was surprised by this change in direction, but answered truthfully. "Yes, he had a harem of about thirty women. They were all very beautiful."

"Did you and Amir ever sleep with any of them?"

"The shah would reward us sometimes by sending a woman to us. I learned a lot from them."

She remembered the evening he and Amir had grabbed her and Megan when they tried to follow them. She'd always wondered about that. "Did you ever have to kidnap anyone?"

"It was all part of our job."

As she thought about all of this, Christine began to feel somewhat uneasy. "You were special agents for the shah, but would it be fair to say that you were assassins?"

Erik had anticipated this moment. "Yes, we were."

Christine became silent, and he could almost feel the chill that had descended between them. She suddenly rose from the couch and took a few steps away before turning to face him. She was looking at him, as if seeing him for the first time, but she didn't say anything.

Erik looked at her evenly. "Does this change anything between us?" he asked.


	75. The Woods

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editor Archeology 101.

Chapter 75

The Woods

_Friday night _

Erik looked at her evenly. "Does this change anything between us?" he asked.

It was strange. Christine now looked into his placid brown eyes and everything seemed to have stilled although the stereo still played. At this moment she could actually imagine him an assassin. He was unnaturally calm, and he sat unruffled and still, reminding her of his eerie calm when he'd dispatched those two muggers. It occurred to her that based upon what she'd already witnessed, if he wanted to, he could very easily kill her, and she felt an echo of fear.

She thought back to how she first came to know him, when she first met him at the Bal Masque, the letters and flowers, him breaking into her apartment… And then the island, Christmas, the muddy hilltop…so many memories. She was in love with a trained assassin. And his best friend, who loved her best friend, was also a killer. But Erik loved her, he'd set her up financially for the rest of her life, and he had never hurt her, even when she left him two weeks ago.

_But it's not like he was in a war, Christine! He was a trained assassin for a foreign government! _her conscience screamed. _He and his best friend are killers! _

"Christine?"

She had already been torn from him twice, and both times were unbearable…she'd wanted to die. She'd never wanted to be parted from him again. _He's a trained killer, Christine. Can you let him go? _

"No."

"No? What do you mean?" he asked calmly. He remained seated, his eyes piercing into her soul.

"No, it doesn't change anything between us," she said softly. "You were an assassin, but you're not now. I just know that I don't want to live without you," she whispered, her eyes shimmering.

Erik's heart exploded with love. He was trained never to reveal his emotions under pressure, but his heart was breaking when Christine distanced herself from him upon learning of his past. He was slowly dying as he waited for her to tell him that she wanted no part of a killer. He rose now and embraced her tightly as she wrapped her arms around him, her head against his chest. "I love you, Christine," he whispered. "I love you."

* * *

Amir was shocked when he saw Megan standing outside his door, and when he opened to her, he could tell immediately that something was terribly wrong. She tried to speak, but she wasn't making sense. He placed his arm around her as he helped her to a couch in his living room, and as he had her remove her jacket and sit comfortably, he hurried to the kitchen to pour her a glass of water. 

When he returned, there were tear tracks on her cheeks though she didn't appear to be crying. She sipped the water gratefully, but still appeared shaken. Amir placed his arm around her and she gratefully leaned into him, needing to feel his strength.

"Megan," he said gently, "tell me what happened."

"I…I went over to Juan's even though I knew it was late…because I thought Alex would still be there," she said haltingly. "I was walking up to his building when I saw them! I saw them kissing!" she said, her voice breaking.

He assumed that Juan was Alex's boyfriend.

"He said he loved me! He said he wanted us to stay together! He lied to me! He was lying!" she cried. She was sobbing now, but still trying to control herself.

Amir held her tightly in his arms, rubbing her back, stroking her hair, and speaking comforting words to her. It hurt him to see Megan so distressed, and he felt guilty, knowing that he'd broken her heart in the same way. He held her for a long time, until she stopped crying and had calmed down. It was late, so he suggested she go to bed.

"Come on, you should get some sleep," he said softly, and he led her to his bedroom. He produced a large tee shirt for her to change into as well as bath towels in case she wished to shower in the morning. But as he prepared to leave, she stopped him.

"Wait…please, don't go. Stay with me," she pleaded.

He looked at her kindly. "All right. I'll make some tea and I'll be right back."

He left her door open and made his way to the kitchen, amazed at this turn of events. He'd been correct in assuming months ago that Alex was bi, but he never imagined that he would ever leave Megan for another man. Actually, he couldn't imagine anyone wanting to leave Megan for any reason.

As he waited for the water to boil, he retrieved from the cabinet two mugs that happened to be among his favorites. They were thick and old, and they each had roosters embossed on them. He'd found them at an antique store one day shortly after arriving in San Francisco, and they seemed very comforting at the time. They reminded him of roosters he used to see in the countryside when he was a young boy growing up in Iran, and he still found the memory of them comforting. He'd brought little from Iran when he and Erik made their escape, so any little thing that served as a reminder was precious.

The whistling from the tea kettle roused him from his reverie and he poured the hot water into the mugs as he pulled two bags of chamomile tea from the tea crock. The tea steeped in the mugs and he placed them on a small tray as he walked back to the bedroom.

Amir smiled when he saw Megan in bed. She had donned the tee shirt he'd left out for her and gotten under the covers and was now sound asleep. He knew that emotional upsets drained strength, so he wasn't surprised. He placed the tray on the dresser and went to his closet to change. When he returned, he was dressed in a matching pair of black sweats and socks. Megan had wanted him to stay with her, so he brought his tea next to him with his laptop. He would read the news before going to sleep.

It was close to midnight when he decided to turn off his laptop and the light. He lay atop the covers next to her and looked at her darkened form. He still couldn't believe she was here in his bed, that she'd come to _him _for help when her world was falling apart. She lay on her back now, one hand up by her head, and he thought she looked like a sleeping beauty. He would do whatever he could to help her, and he closed his eyes as he thought about what to prepare her for breakfast come morning.

It was just a few minutes later when he heard Megan make a sound as she slept. She mumbled incoherently and he opened his eyes. _Perhaps she's having a nightmare from her shock tonight, _he thought. He heard her whimper, and then realized that she was crying in her sleep. His heart went out to her and he felt anger at Alex for hurting her like this. Knowing her intimately, he knew that she'd given her all to Alex…just as she had to him when they were together. He moved closer to her and placed his arm protectively around her. She was still crying softly and he wondered what she was dreaming as her words continued.

"_No…I saw…I saw…."_

He wished he could hurt Alex for doing this to her. He would deserve it for hurting someone as selfless and as wonderful as Megan…

"_I…I saw Amir!…"_

_

* * *

_

_Saturday morning_

The bedroom grew brighter as the morning sun rose higher against the drapes, but Alex didn't care for it was the most wonderful morning he could remember. He smiled when he felt Juan's arm still around him. He turned around in the bed until he could look at him sleeping. He thought Juan's face was perfect. He could easily have become a model or an actor, but he opted to use his mind instead of taking an easier route to success.

Last night had been incredible. They'd made love with abandon, making up for lost time, and taking one another several times throughout the night, finally falling asleep exhausted in the wee hours. He'd fantasized countless times about making love to Juan since learning of his return to San Francisco, but it was nothing compared to the reality of doing so. Despite their time apart, it was surprising how quickly they returned to their familiar roles. Because Juan was older, he'd always been the one to take the lead in their relationship and in lovemaking, and he had done so last night. Alex hadn't indulged in anal sex since Juan had moved away, but last night, he couldn't wait to submit to him once again. Despite the length of their separation, his body seemed to remember and willingly accommodated him. And when it was his turn, he'd enjoyed an incredible night of multiple orgasms, and he imagined it was due to being with the one he truly loved. As wonderful as it had been making love to Megan, it came nowhere near what he had experienced with Juan.

"Good morning." Juan was waking up and he smiled sleepily at him, their first morning.

"Good morning," Alex said softly. "I love you," he whispered, and he kissed him.

"I love you, too," Juan whispered back. He was so happy, and he couldn't believe Alex was with him again. Making love with him had been so incredible. For the first time in over two years, the future looked bright. "Hungry?" he asked.

"Like I could eat a horse!"

"C'mon then. Let's take a quick shower and then I'll make you breakfast."

Showering wasn't quick, but it was certainly enjoyable, and by the time they dried one another off, Alex was willing to forego breakfast altogether. He'd even hinted at it, but Juan was set on preparing him breakfast, so after getting dressed they headed to the kitchen and Alex sat at the counter while Juan performed his magic. He prepared a wonderfully traditional breakfast of huevos rancheros, fried potatoes, biscuits, and orange juice, and Alex was touched.

"You remembered," he smiled, alluding to the fact that Juan had remembered his favorite breakfast.

He set the salt and pepper shakers on the table. "You'd be surprised at what I remember, Alejandro," he said as he took his seat. Ever since awakening, he'd wondered if he'd foolishly taken for granted that Alex wished to be with him. He'd been gone from Alex's life for over two years, and Alex was now in love with a beautiful, charming and intelligent blonde ballerina. Perhaps it was just the passion from the night before, but he had to know. He couldn't bear to lose Alex again, especially after last night. He looked up. "What about Megan?"

Alex knew he had to talk to her. He regretted that he'd have to hurt her like this after her horrible experience with Amir, but there was no choice…he owed it to her. He looked at his eggs and scooped some into his fork. "I'll call her, and I'll try to see her as soon as I can. I just want to get it over with."

Juan could tell that he dreaded hurting her, but he couldn't help but be relieved that in so many words, Alex had just stated that he wanted _him, _and he closed his eyes briefly as he sighed in relief.

"What do you say we go for a drive today," Juan suggested happily.

"Where did you have in mind?"

"Do you still like tidepools?"

Alex looked up and grinned. "Are you talking about Point Reyes? We haven't been there in years!"

"Why don't we spent tonight there? We can go horseback-riding, too. And if we're lucky, maybe we'll even be able to see the whale migration."

Alex was grinning broadly. He felt as eager as a little boy about to embark on an adventure. The prospect of going horseback-riding with Juan, seeing tidepools and whales, and then spending the night together at Point Reyes sounded like an incredible weekend. He could hardly wait to get started. When he finished eating, he quickly rinsed off his dishes and placed them in the dishwasher.

"I'm going to go and pack a bag. Pick me up when you're ready." He thanked Juan for breakfast and gave him a kiss before leaving.

He was excited as he drove home, but it was tempered by what he knew he had to do first. As soon as he was in his apartment, he sat down and called Megan. Her home phone rang and then her voice mail picked up.

"_Hi there! I'm sorry I missed your call, but don't go away! Please leave your name and number and I'll call you when I get back!"_

"Hi, Megan…it's Alex. Please call me when you get this message. I'll talk to you soon."

He then tried her cell phone, but her voice mail kicked in and he left another message for her. _Well, at least I tried, _he thought. _I'll try again later if I don't hear from her._

* * *

Megan jerked awake. She'd had a bad dream and something had happened that woke her, but the memory of it was quickly fading. She felt strong arms enfold her, and she remembered Amir from last night. He'd stayed with her all night just like he said he would. She felt him brush the hair back from her eyes. 

_She dreamt about me…with Joanna. Perhaps she won't remember. _"Good morning," he said softly. "You were having nightmares. How do you feel?"

Megan was glad he was there. "Tired. I'm sorry I burst in on you last night. I just…I didn't know where else to go."

"I'm glad you did, cherie, because you are always welcome here. Are you hungry?"

"Yes." Actually she was starving since she missed dinner at Juan's.

"Then let's get dressed and I'll fix you some breakfast."

"May I take a shower first?" she asked.

"Of course. You know where everything is. Breakfast will be ready by the time you get out."

As Megan gathered the bath towels and headed to the bathroom to take her shower, Amir went to the kitchen and decided on what to prepare. He was glad Megan was here with him, but he expected she would want to return home as soon as she finished eating. He wished there was some way to prolong her stay because he'd missed her terribly and didn't want her to go yet. He decided to make hash browns, bacon, and scrambled eggs with green onions with a side of cantaloupe.

By the time he'd finished the bacon and hash browns, he was about to start on the eggs when Megan joined him in the kitchen, dressed in her clothes from the night before. Amir noticed that she looked much refreshed after her shower.

"Feel better?" he asked with a smile.

"Much better, thanks." When she saw what he'd made for breakfast, she couldn't wait to start eating, and her stomach chose that moment to groan loudly and she grabbed her stomach. "I didn't have dinner," she explained, embarrassed.

"No dinner? You must be starving! Here, eat up." Amir handed her a plate filled with all of her favorite breakfast foods, and she dug in heartily, pouring ketchup in her plate for her hash browns and eggs. Amused, Amir watched her. It occurred to him that he loved watching her eat and wondered if other people liked watching their loved ones eat, too. He fixed himself a plate and sat down, deciding to try some ketchup on his eggs, and found that he rather liked it.

"Mmm, breakfast is wonderful! Thank you," Megan said gratefully between mouthfuls of hash browns.

"You're quite welcome, my dear," Amir smiled. "I guess you'll want to go home as soon as you can this morning…but…I just wanted to say that you don't have to rush off…" He felt awkward in his attempt to get her to stay, but he really didn't want her to go.

Megan looked down at her plate, and when she looked up, she seemed sad. "I guess I should…but, I really didn't want to go home yet. But if you're busy, I understand…"

"No, not at all! You can stay as long as you like! Um, if you want, you can even spend another night!" He hoped he didn't sound too anxious, but he couldn't seem to help himself.

"Really? I'd like that…thank you." Megan was relieved. She really didn't want to be alone, and she didn't want to hear from Alex yet.

Amir was ecstatic. Megan would be spending the night with him and he would have all today, tonight, and possibly all of Sunday to be with her to comfort her…now that Alex was otherwise engaged. He smiled as he ate some more eggs with ketchup. He suddenly had an idea.

"I was planning on going up to see the redwoods today. If you'd like to come with me, why don't we stop by your apartment and pick up a change of clothes and anything else you might need."

Megan was pleased that Amir would invite her to go with him and that he'd be with her when she went back to her apartment. She felt so lost now. She'd trusted Alex, yet her suspicions about him and Juan had come true. Still, perhaps this was how it was all meant to be… _karma_.

When they finished breakfast, they cleaned up the dishes and Amir changed into a pair of jeans, a shirt, a down vest and boots. Megan thought he looked great. Amir followed her in his car as she drove back to her apartment and she wondered if Alex had tried to call her. She had turned off her cell phone and hadn't even looked at it since the night before, so she took it out now to see if there were any messages and saw that there were three from Alex. She deleted them and then turned off her phone and placed it back in her purse.

When they arrived at her apartment, Amir parked out front as Megan parked in her carport and they made their way up the stairs. Megan was glad to be home with Amir and she went over to look at Azuki Bean the moment she walked in the door. He sniffed the air as she opened his cage and picked him up, and he seemed to enjoy her attention. Amir walked over then and saw her holding Azuki Bean in her palm.

"So this is the new addition?" He looked at the hedgehog and held his finger out so he could be sniffed.

"Yes, this is Azuki Bean." Megan held him out on her palm to see if Amir would want to hold him.

He took hold of him from above and looked him over top and bottom as the hedgehog's legs churned in the air. When he finally laid him flat on his hand, Azuki Bean remained still, but after a few moments began to walk…and promptly walked off the edge of his hand. Amir's fast reflexes caught him before he hit the floor, and he quickly handed him back to Megan to preclude any more mishaps.

"He's quite the daredevil," he murmured.

"It must be how they get around in the wild, considering how small they are," Megan guessed. "Back in the cage you go."

Amir made himself comfortable on the couch as Megan placed more feed in the cage and changed Azuki Bean's water. She washed her hands before going to her bedroom to pack a small overnight bag. She noticed three new messages on her answering machine and turned it on as she went to her closet.

"_Hi, Megan…it's Alex. Please call me when you get this message. I'll talk to you soon."_

"_It's me again. Call me when you get a chance. Bye."_

"_Hey, Megan? It's me. Please call me when you get back, I need to see you. Bye."_

She erased all of her messages and continued packing. For the first time, she noticed that Alex didn't say I love you in any of the messages. It made her sad because it was just another indication that he was no longer a part of her life. She then went into the bathroom to retrieve some toiletries.

Amir heard Alex's voice on the answering machine through Megan's partially closed bedroom door and also noticed his rather detached delivery. _He sounds like just a friend, not someone who was in love with her, _he thought.

When Megan returned to the living room, she had her purse and overnight bag in hand and she was dressed nicely in a thick sweater and dark jeans and low-heeled boots. "I'm ready!" she beamed.

"Are you all right?" Amir asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied, though it wasn't convincing.

Amir took her bag from her and they were about to go out the door when her phone rang. When Megan didn't go back to answer it, Amir asked, "Were you going to get that?"

"No, it's probably not important," she replied, and she locked her door before they made their way down the stairs to the car.

* * *

They had driven for about a half hour when they began to see the tops of the redwoods from the freeway, and even from this distance they looked majestic. With the classical music playing in the background, Megan thought this day was beautiful in spite of the perennial overcast, and she was grateful she could spend it with Amir. 

"We'll be there in a few minutes," he said. "When we drive through the tree, we'll officially be in the Muir Woods."

Megan remembered visiting the Muir Woods many years ago as a child and recalled the giant redwood that stood in the middle of the road and was hollowed out so that cars could drive through it. It had always amazed her that the tree was still healthy and growing.

They arrived at the famous tree in short order and drove through, parking in the lot adjacent to the ranger station and gift shop. There were some other cars there, but not many, which meant that the forest would almost be all theirs. As they alighted from the car, Megan stowed her purse under her seat.

The day was bright, although overcast, and slightly cool as they began to walk down the nearest trail. It wasn't long before they were surrounded by giant redwoods and the sunlight was blocked by the branches.

"Are you almost ready for the auditions?" Amir asked as they walked casually along the path.

"Almost. I've selected the music and choreographed my routine, and so I'm just practicing a lot now."

"And how is it coming?"

"Okay, I think. Some of the combinations are a little more difficult than what I've done at school, but I think I'll be okay as long as I practice them. And if I can get over my nerves, it should be okay."

"Good. We've received a lot of dance applications and more international applicants than usual, so we expect to see a lot of new movements."

Megan really didn't want to talk about it because it just made her nervous. She was already aware of the stiff competition she would be up against and didn't take this for granted. Her routine was completed, but for the five minutes of her routine, she had developed a number of very difficult moves and complex combinations of her own that she hoped would catch the attention of these judges who were accustomed to seeing world-class dancers.

They had been walking along the trail and talking quietly for about a half hour when they came upon a giant redwood with a sign and a stethoscope hanging next to it. As they approached it, they noted that the sign said you could hear termites chewing upon the wood with the help of the stethoscope.

"Really? You're kidding!" Megan smiled as she took up the stethoscope and placed it in her ears.

Amused, Amir looked on as Megan examined various areas on the tree, listening for termites.

After about a minute, she took off the stethoscope. "I didn't hear a thing," she said, disappointed. "I wonder if they're still in there."

Amir took the stethoscope from her and placed it on the tree. Megan smiled as she imagined him a tree doctor. "Come here," he said after awhile.

Megan stepped over to the tree and placed the stethoscope to her ears. After awhile, she heard it… It didn't sound like what she would have expected, but it actually did sound like a faint _chewing. _She looked over at Amir and raised her eyebrows in surprise.

They continued walking and the woods were breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly silent. They would occasionally hear birds, small creatures in the brush, or an airplane, but there was no one else about. Amir abruptly turned off the trail and started down a break in the brush that was unmarked.

Megan wondered what he was doing. "Why are you going that way? The trail goes off this way," she called.

Amir turned to her and smiled. "Yes, but wonder and beauty lay yonder," he replied mysteriously as he made his way into the bush.

Megan wasn't sure about going off the trail and began recalling all the horror stories she'd ever heard about people getting lost in the forest for days on end, and she wondered now just how vast the Muir Woods were. But on the other hand, she had to admit that she'd never known Amir to be careless.

As they walked deeper into the woods, Megan noticed that the smell of redwoods here was strong, almost intoxicating. There was more moss on the trees and it was much darker since the branches and the overcast blocked out all direct sunlight. She didn't see anything to suggest a trail in any direction, so she hoped Amir still knew where he was going. They'd been walking for about fifteen minutes when Megan realized that a roaring she'd heard earlier and had ignored now seemed much louder, and it was getting closer. It was loud as Amir pushed through the brush, and as Megan stood beside him, she was surprised to see a pristine waterfall opposite a small lake before them. It was beautiful and isolated, like a scene from a fairytale, and Megan wondered why this wasn't on a public trail.

"The woods have other waterfalls, but not all of them are on a trail," Amir explained. "This one happens to be my favorite."

"It's so beautiful," Megan said, amazed. "Is this where you bring all your girlfriends?" she teased.

Amir looked at her strangely. "No, I've never brought anyone here before, except you."

Megan was surprised. Before she came into his life, she'd thought he was a playboy, and everything that that word entailed. She imagined that with his good looks, wealth and resources, he could have a different woman every night of the week if he wished, which unbeknownst to her, was actually not far from the truth. And yet, he had proven himself to be more wonderful than any man she'd ever known.

They took a seat on a flat rock that hung slightly over the water to enjoy the view of the waterfall, and Megan thought about what a wonderful day this was despite the horror of the previous night. She leaned over so she could dip her hand in the cool water and could see fish swimming about. While gazing into the water, she saw her reflection, and then looking over, she saw Amir staring at her through his own reflection. Embarrassed, she pulled back from the edge of the rock and turned to him…and was surprised when she suddenly found his lips on hers.

It was such a wonderful kiss…and it was very easy for her to forget the last twenty-four hours and just remember the good times she and Amir had ever had…and why she'd fallen in love with him. When they pulled apart, she looked at him, and it almost felt like old times.

"I love you," he whispered.


	76. Taken

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editor Archeology 101.

Chapter 76

Taken

_Saturday_

Alex was packed and ready by the time Juan picked him up a half hour later, and he couldn't stop smiling. He honestly couldn't remember when he'd been so happy, and it seemed that Juan was just as thrilled as they packed everything into his SUV and drove off.

They were both dressed in jeans and boots, and Alex couldn't keep from staring at him. Juan's long legs and casual manner were very appealing, and as the wind blew his hair over his eyes, Alex was reminded of how handsome he had looked the night before. After all this time, it was still hard to believe they were together again.

As usual, the skies were overcast, but the ocean looked beautiful as they drove over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, and then to the Point Reyes National Seashore. After taking the off-ramp to Point Reyes, Juan followed the road that eventually took them up the graveled driveway to the stables, and he parked under a sprawling tree. By the time they both stepped out of the car and approached the stable, the owner came out to greet them.

"Welcome to the Point Reyes Stables, Mr. Aragon," he smiled easily. "Your horses are ready."

When he brought them out, they were two beautiful steeds, one a dark brown and the other a gray mottled Appaloosa.

"This here is Hemlock," he indicated the brown. "And this here is Mandrake," he said indicating the gray. "If you need anything, just give me a call. I'm Steven and I've got my cell phone on me at all times."

"Thank you, Steven, we'll be fine. We'll be back in a couple hours," Juan smiled as he smoothly mounted the brown, and his grace was not lost on Alex.

Alex mounted his gray and they set off down the road with Juan in the lead. To anyone who saw them, they could easily have been models for Levis, Tony Llama, or a men's cologne. They looked uncommonly handsome on their mounts and both were experienced horsemen. Alex kicked Mandrake gently to make him pick up speed and he cantered past Juan.

"Oye, donde está el fuego?" Juan called from behind. _(Hey, where's the fire?)_

Alex was smiling. The woods here were beautiful and he felt completely relaxed and happy. "Where are these whales you keep talking about?" he called back.

"We have to go up the hill. Come on." Juan kicked his horse sharply and they were soon galloping side by side. It was exhilarating and he loved sharing this moment with Alex. Watching him ride, Juan thought he looked like a natural, as though born to it…his hair flying in the wind, his relaxed confidence. His heart swelled with love and excitement as he watched Alex's sure handling as they raced through a meadow and finally reaching their destination.

They climbed the hill leisurely so as not to tire the horses further. It was quiet and still, and it seemed they were the only ones out today. They spoke quietly as they climbed higher, and without saying so, knew what the other was thinking as evidenced by their furtive glances at the other. When they finally reached the top several minutes later, they dismounted and Juan pointed towards the ocean. "This is the end of the whale migration season, so hopefully we'll still be able to see some."

Alex looked out to where Juan had pointed and searched the ocean. As he scanned the waters, Juan stepped back and wrapped his arms around him. He breathed in Alex's natural scent with his aftershave and ran his fingers gently through his hair. He held him closely and nuzzled him, so thankful to be here with him now.

"There! I see them!" Alex said excitedly as he pointed.

About 100 yards from shore were three whales, their blowholes spewing plumes of water into the air before diving, their tails majestically breaking the surface before disappearing. It was awe-inspiring, and Alex was thrilled to see them for the first time. It lasted for less than a minute and then they were gone, as though they had never been.

"Come on. Let's go down to the beach and check out the tide pools," Juan said as he climbed back onto Hemlock who was lazily nibbling on a patch of grass with Mandrake.

They descended the hill down a different path than the one they'd climbed earlier and were soon on the beach. They galloped for awhile across the shoreline, throwing up sprays of water as they went, and soon reached the tide pools that were at low tide. The rocks were still wet, and there were many small pools filled with small marine life. They dismounted and began to walk amongst the rocks.

* * *

Erik loved waking up next to Christine, feeling her warm body next to his, his arms wrapped around her, and her hair spread out on her pillow. She was the most beautiful woman in the world, even without make-up the first thing in the morning. He smiled for he was sure she would disagree, but he knew he could wake up next to her every morning for the rest of his life. 

When Christine awoke about a minute later, all was quiet, but when she opened her eyes, she saw that Erik was already up and was looking at her, apparently waiting for her to wake. She smiled, amused that he would be waiting on her. "Hi," she murmured. "Hungry?"

"We're going out for breakfast this morning," he grinned. "Let's shower and get dressed."

Erik hopped out of bed and walked into the bathroom where Christine heard the shower being started. She smiled and wondered why he seemed to be in a hurry. In any event, they showered quickly and got dressed, and they were soon in the car driving south along an inland highway towards San Jose. Although it was 10:00, Christine yawned widely and wished she could have stayed in bed for another half hour. They drove for about a half hour when they stopped at a small roadside diner called Fanny's.

"_Fanny's?"_ Christine asked, amused.

"Yep, you'll love it. Whatever they make is wonderful. The owner is from the south, in case you hadn't guessed," Erik explained.

When they walked in through the screen door, they seated themselves in a small booth by the window, and a pleasant young woman brought them menus and glasses of water. "G'morning, folks," she smiled brightly. "Can I get you some coffee or orange juice?"

Erik opted for coffee while Christine requested some hot chocolate, and as they looked over the menu, Christine wondered where they were going.

"It's a surprise," Erik smiled mysteriously.

It wasn't a surprising answer for Erik, but Christine realized that he'd never taken her anywhere in this direction before and wondered what could be out this way. When they ordered breakfast, she sipped her hot chocolate carefully, still ending up with a little whipped cream on her nose.

Erik smiled, amused and charmed. "I love you," he said softly.

"I love you, too," she smiled, making use of her napkin. She looked into his eyes and imagined all he must have witnessed when he was an assassin, yet she continued to be awed by his musical genius…the beauty and wonder of his fertile imagination. She knew only that she loved him more than life.

They took their time over breakfast, having sausages, grits, eggs, and biscuits with butter and jam. And when they left, their waitress waved, along with a cheery, "Y'all have a wonderful day, and come back to see us!"

They continued driving south for another half hour until they reached San Jose, and after taking the off-ramp, made a few more turns until they'd reached their destination: the Winchester Mystery House.

* * *

After they'd walked out of the woods, Amir took Megan to lunch in nearby Mill Valley. There was a rustic cafe there that he'd been to once, and he was sure Megan would be charmed, and she was. It wasn't crowded as they sat in the booth and ate, and Megan thought about their time in the woods. 

She was surprised when Amir had kissed her, but she was glad that he did. He said he loved her, and then he'd kissed her again, gently, uncertain as to what her reaction would be, but when he realized that she wanted it, too, began to kiss her deeply. Megan was enjoying it very much until the memory of Alex and Juan suddenly appeared before her eyes, and she abruptly pulled away.

When she stopped, Amir was surprised and stopped immediately, assuming he'd misjudged her response. He self-consciously apologized and attempted to change the subject by asking if she was hungry and would like some lunch. He wondered if Megan would even want to spend the night with him now. _But she did want me…at least before I…_

"I can't wait to get home and take a shower. Would you mind if I took a nap when we got home?"

He was amazed. She still wanted to spend the night with him! "Of course I wouldn't mind, cherie. It'll be good to get some rest before we go out to dinner."

And so they had left the lake and the waterfall and had lunch at the rustic diner before driving home again. Though it was just a thirty-minute drive home, Megan had dozed off, and Amir imagined she was tired from all their walking and the lunch.

When they returned home to his apartment, she immediately headed for the shower, and when she was done, she said she would take a nap. Amir took this opportunity to take his own shower, and when he returned to the bedroom, saw that she was asleep.

He made reservations for the night's dinner and then laid down in the bed next to her. He watched her sleep for awhile and thought about all she was to him. He was so thankful that she'd come to him. He was still amazed by his feelings of love for her, never having experienced such feelings before, and for the first time in his life, he finally understood all the songs, poems, and literature that spoke of such love down through the ages. His need to protect her was strong, as was his need to keep her from others who would vie for her love. She must never again want another man, and he would see to it that she never did. He vowed that he would fill her life with happiness and joy so she would never again think to look at another.

* * *

The Winchester Mystery House was one attraction that Christine had wanted to see all her life but had never made time for, so she was excited as they pulled into the parking lot and made their way over to the entrance of the four-story Victorian mansion. They strolled up the walkway hand-in-hand past beautifully tended gardens and fountains and joined a group of about twenty other people who were eagerly awaiting the next tour which was scheduled to begin shortly. When the doors opened, everyone walked into the beautiful grand foyer where the tour guide introduced herself as Audra and gave a brief history of the mansion and its owner, the mysterious Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune. Although the entire house covered four acres, the tour would take two hours and they would be viewing 110 of the 160 unfurnished rooms. 

When they began the tour and walked down the spacious hallway, Audra explained that Mrs. Winchester began adding on to the original house after visiting a psychic following the death of her six-month old baby and her husband. According to the psychic, their deaths were revenge by the spirits of those killed by her husband's Winchester rifles, and in order for her to escape their wrath, she had to continuously build onto her house and never stop. So began a building project that went around the clock, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the next 38 years until her death.

Much of the architecture seemed to have no rhyme or reason, and Christine was fascinated by the countless architectural oddities such as doorways opening to blank walls, stairways going up to the ceiling, upper floor doorways opening onto a sheer drop down to the garden, windows on the floor, and countless other anomalies, and the number thirteen figuring prominently throughout the house. Erik had been taking in these details quietly as they trailed behind their guide and the sightseers during the last hour, but as the tour continued down yet another hallway, he suddenly took Christine's hand and led her away from the others and back down another hallway.

She was surprised and wondered why he'd led them away. "Didn't you want to see the rest of the house?" she asked, confused.

"I will show you something much more interesting," he murmured cryptically as he led her up a stairway.

"But this just goes up to the ceiling," Christine said as she followed him up the steps.

When he went up the stairs as far as he could, Erik began to press the right wall where the slats of wood met the ceiling. There were three slats of wood per step, and he methodically searched the wall starting with the fourth step down. When he pressed the part of the wall that included the thirteenth slat, the top portion of the slat sank into the wall, and there was a faint but audible _click_. When he pushed, a heavy doorway as wide as three steps swung inward. Christine gasped. Ducking his head, Erik stepped into the secret room and Christine followed.

The room was as large as a small bedroom and had electricity, as evidenced by the light switch and the wall sconces which lit both sides of a dusty couch. Christine noted that the room was elaborately wallpapered and nicely furnished, unlike the rest of the house, which meant that this room was undiscovered since the furnishings in all but a few rooms had been removed decades ago. And though there were no windows, there was adequate ventilation judging from the registers in the walls.

"Erik, how did you know about this room?" Christine asked, astonished.

"It was actually a lucky guess. You could say that trap doors and secret rooms are a sort of hobby of mine." The palace he had constructed many years ago for the shah had been honeycombed with similar secret rooms and passageways, not unlike the Phil, and he was intimately acquainted with their various means of ingress and egress. He was certain there were many more rooms like this one throughout the house if it covered four acres.

When they exited the room through another secret door, they were in a hallway in another part of the house on an upper floor. They saw more architectural oddities as they explored the floor and peeked into some of the rooms. Some of them looked abandoned or unfinished by the original builders, but when they approached a double-door at the end of one hallway, they opened it and found that it opened onto a blank wall.

"Makes you wonder how the old lady got around, doesn't it?" Christine murmured as she looked over at Erik, but he was studying the wall closely.

He reached up and knocked on the blank wall and noted the sound, and then knocked on the wall next to it…they sounded decidedly different. As he looked down at the wall, he began to push the right side of it from a point about three feet from the floor, and very slowly, it began to move. It was pivoting from a central axis, and when completely opened, revealed an opening on both sides, each the width of a regular door. Christine was astonished. Erik was methodically finding secret areas of a house that had been studied and investigated for close to a century.

When they entered the room, Erik flicked on the light and it revealed a large, albeit dusty, bedroom richly furnished and decorated in deep velvets and brocade, which were in vogue at the turn of the century. An elegantly made bed with an intricately hand-carved headboard dominated the room, and thick Persian carpets lay underfoot. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases on both sides of the fireplace were filled with hardcover editions, and an elegantly upholstered chaise lounge and floor lamp were next to the fireplace, which was only decorative.

Christine was amazed by these discoveries, but she was in even greater awe that Erik had been able to find them when no one else had. "How did you know the door opened like that?" she asked.

"The trick wasn't that the door pivoted…the trick was in knowing where to push, otherwise it never would have opened."

"What do you mean?"

"The door is weighted and balanced in such a way that you have to push it in exactly the right spot for it to open. Mrs. Winchester was a very short woman, so it had to be comfortable and easy enough for her to push open without a lot of effort," he explained. "A lot of the construction on the house was to throw the evil spirits off her track, but she wasn't totally eccentric as people made her out to be. She designed safe rooms, or panic rooms, throughout the house, and that's what I believe we found. She was ahead of her time in this."

"Amazing," Christine murmured. She went over to the closet and opened it and saw clothes still hanging in it. And when she opened the dresser drawers, she saw more clothes and lingerie. This room had truly been forgotten. "Will you tell them about the rooms?" she asked.

Erik looked at an elaborately carved jewelry box and a dusty hand mirror, hairbrush and comb set that sat on an ornate tray on the dresser. He could even see strands of white hair still in the brush. He felt sad for this woman who became a recluse after the death of her husband and child. He sensed that he could almost understand how she must have felt living day in and day out alone in this unique house despite her wealth.

"No, I won't tell them. The rooms were hers, and they should stay with her."

Christine was glad, and she was touched by Erik's sensitivity to this woman who was Sarah Winchester.

_

* * *

_

It was fun walking along the rocks and seeing what there was to see in the tide pools. It'd been a long time since Alex had enjoyed this simple activity, but today was perfect because he'd enjoyed it with Juan. They loved the beach, and walking along the water with their horses was like being on vacation in some distant land, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. Hemlock and Mandrake had been ideal and Alex was sorry they had to return them in a mere two hours. After leaving the stables, they went out for lunch at a nearby café before returning to check in at their hotel.

The Piedras Blancas Inn _(White Stones Inn) _was located near the north shore of the Point Reyes National Seashore and was a small cluster of quaint shingled cottages, each separated by the woods between them and which were a short walk to the beach. Alex had been unaware of this hotel and wondered how Juan was able to reserve such exclusive accommodations on such short notice.

"It's the off season," he replied simply, "and of course the weather is always iffy, although there's a long waiting list for the summer."

The cottage was a very comfortable one-bedroom dwelling with a fireplace, living room, kitchenette, bathroom, and large bedroom with a fully dressed king-sized bed fit for royalty.

"Do you like it?" Juan asked as he began to unpack.

"I love it," Alex grinned. He'd never had such a vacation or ever stayed in such accommodations before and was enjoying it immensely. "What do you do for an encore?"

Juan smiled and walked over to him. He thread his fingers lightly through his hair and brought him closer, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. Alex smiled broadly and kissed him deeply, his heart brimming with happiness. "I love you."

Juan whispered close to his ear, "I'll love you more if you take a shower with me We smell like we've been herding cattle. C'mon," and he slapped him playfully on the butt before turning and making his way to the bathroom.

"I'll be right there," Alex called. He walked over to the sliding glass door and opened it, feeling the cool breeze through the screen. Everything smelled so clean here, and the view was picturesque. He took out his cell phone and dialed as he looked out at the ocean. After a few rings, it picked up.

"_Hi there! I'm sorry I missed your call, but don't go away! Please leave your name and number and I'll call you when I get back!"_

"Hi, Megan? It's Alex. Please give me a call when you can. We need to talk. Bye."

He called her cell phone next and left a message on it when she didn't pick up. He was beginning to worry. It wasn't like her to not return his calls, and he hadn't spoken to her since Thursday afternoon. He thought about calling Christine but then decided against it. He would call Megan later tonight, and if he didn't reach her, he would go by and see her tomorrow when they got back into town. He placed his phone on the dresser and made his way to the shower as he unbuttoned his shirt…

* * *

It was 8:00 when they went to dinner at The Whale's Tail, a very nice seafood restaurant not far from their cottage. They were dressed in button-down shirts and trousers and received more than a little attention from the females that were either dining or working there that night. Juan took it all in stride for it was what he was used to, but Alex didn't think he would ever get used to it. 

They spoke quietly over dinner about their relationship and where it would go from here when Juan unexpectedly suggested that Alex move in with him.

"Are you serious?" Alex was incredulous.

"Why not? I just got you back, and I don't want to take a chance on losing you again," he said seriously.

Alex was speechless, but he was grinning from ear to ear.

"I take it that's a yes," Juan smiled.

Alex could only grin. If they weren't in such a public place, he would have kissed him, but neither of them approved of public displays of affection that could either embarrass someone or possibly invite trouble. "When?" was all he could get out.

"When is your lease up?"

"I don't have a lease, it's month-to-month."

"That's even better. You can start moving your stuff in now and then move in at the end of the month. That gives you about three weeks."

Alex was delirious.

"If you smile any wider, you're going to crack that gorgeous face of yours," Juan teased.

When they returned to their cottage after dinner, they decided to go for a moonlight stroll along the beach, although the moon was mostly hidden behind the clouds. The waves thundered as they neared the beach, and they could see the whitecaps as the waves crested and ran up onto the shore.

It was dark but just light enough to make their way along the sand, and they could feel the spray and smell the salt water from the waves. It was romantic being the only ones on the beach at this hour, and they had the freedom to walk hand-in-hand or with their arm around the other's waist. When they'd followed the curve of the shoreline and walked a good distance from the cottage, the beach ended with large rocks blocking their way and going up a large dune, so they stopped at this point and looked out across the water at the gleaming oil derricks in the distance. Juan sat upon one of the large rocks and looked out over the water.

"You know, when I was in Washington, I'd go to a beach at night just like this and think about you. I used to wonder what you were doing and who you were with. I always figured you'd found someone else and was happy with them while I was there rotting away. I'd write letters to you telling you about things that were going on in my life and how I missed you…and then I'd throw them away. When I got the letter from my sister telling me about my parents, the first thing I thought about was coming back here and finding you. But when I saw you with Megan in the balcony, I thought I'd lost you."

Alex turned and faced him. "You could never lose me. There was never anyone else. I thought I loved Megan, but you were always there…always."

"I love you, Alejandro," he whispered. Juan reached up and Alex felt his belt being unbuckled and his trousers being unfastened. Juan pushed them down with his briefs and took hold of him. Alex felt Juan's soft lips surround his length and felt himself swell. Juan ran his tongue around the tip and tasted him as he sucked, and he could feel himself growing as well. Alex moaned softly as he ran his fingers through Juan's hair, gently pushing him closer to make him suck harder. He loved the feel of Juan's skilled mouth on his cock, and he knew he couldn't hold back for long. When he came, he groaned and shot his cum repeatedly into his mouth. Juan felt him just before he came, the tell-tale trembling that signaled his impending release. And when he orgasmed, Juan sucked his precious semen as it shot out, swallowing it, taking it into him, and making it a part of him… He loved the taste of Alex's semen, and when it was over, he stood and kissed him deeply. Alex could taste himself on Juan's mouth and on his tongue, and he kissed him deeper…

He urgently began unfastening Juan's trousers as he kissed him, and it seemed he couldn't wait for Juan to take him. Juan smiled, his anticipation building, and Alex braced himself against another rock as Juan placed his hands on both sides of his waist. Alex felt Juan's rock-hard cock at his entrance, slowly lubricating him. Juan pushed, and Alex could feel his cock move slowly past his tight entrance. He forced himself to relax until Juan embedded himself up to the hilt and then began to pump slowly, and then rhythmically, back and forth…and then faster. Juan's breathing became ragged as he thrust faster, the tight walls squeezing his cock closer to release. When his orgasm peaked, he pumped forcefully and groaned, his semen shooting into him. Alex groaned as well, loving that he was the cause of Juan's intense pleasure. When Juan was done, he was breathing roughly, trying to catch his breath as he rested his head momentarily on Alex's back. "I love you, Alejandro," he whispered.

"I love you, too," he replied softly.

* * *

Amir was waiting for Megan to finish getting ready. He was wearing black tonight…black shirt, black silk tie with a silver tie tack, black jacket and trousers. It had been a long time since they'd gone out to dinner, and he was very much looking forward to it. 

"I'm sorry I'm late," Megan said as she came into the living room. "I wasn't sure if I should wear my hair up or down, so I compromised," she smiled, her hair in an attractively mussed up-do.

And indeed he thought she looked beautiful, but he was somewhat surprised that she had packed such a stylish outfit in her overnight bag. Her dress was a beautiful dark blue and strapless, falling a few inches above her knees, and a warm, elegant shawl was draped about her shoulders. She wore elegant silver drop earrings and a matching bracelet, which complemented her dark blue heels and evening bag. Amir smiled in approval and they made their way to the elevator down to the parking garage.

As they drove downtown, Megan thought again about their time by the lake. _He said he loved me_. Knowing this warmed her heart for she already knew how she felt about him. Indeed, she'd never stopped loving him, but so much had happened in the last few months. She wanted to love him, and perhaps it was possible now that he had admitted his love to her.

She was surprised that she would still have butterflies in her stomach where he was concerned, and she wondered if she would ever _not_ feel this way. It always seemed like a special occasion whenever he took her out. She knew that Amir had spoiled her, for before he came into her life, she'd _never _been to any of the places he normally frequented and had taken her to. And it wasn't just because she couldn't afford it, but she'd never before had the wardrobe either. Going out with Alex had always been nice and she'd enjoyed it, but the places he took her to were always informal. She didn't mind because it was only what she'd been accustomed to for the majority of her life. But since dating Amir, she had to admit that she did enjoy dressing to the nines every now and then, but that wasn't Alex's style…not that they couldn't dress up once in awhile for a special occasion. Yes, she loved Alex, but because of Amir showing her another side of life, it was now one of their differences. The same was probably true of Christine until she'd started dating Rick, and then Erik, who probably had an even more lavish lifestyle. If she'd never met Amir, and if there had never been a Juan, perhaps she and Alex could have had a chance.

When they reached their destination, Megan was glad to see that Amir had brought her to P3. Valets quickly appeared to open their doors for them and park the car, and as they made their entrance, Megan checked her shawl at the coat counter before they proceeded into the restaurant. Amir spoke to the hostess and they were soon shown to a very nice table by a wall. When they placed their drink orders, Megan ordered a French Kiss and Amir ordered a Manhattan.

Megan looked around the room, appreciating the elegance as much now as when she'd first seen it, and realized how privileged she was. When she looked back, she saw that Amir was looking at her.

_She's so beautiful,_ he thought "What's on your mind, cherie?" he asked.

Megan shook her head and smiled. "It's hard to believe everything that's happened in the last few months. And now it's come full circle."

"Yes, it has. I'm very glad you could be with me this evening."

"I am, too," she said softly. She truly was glad to be with him again at last, and looking across the table, it seemed as though everything that had ever transpired between them flashed before her eyes…the good, the bad, the Bal Masque, Joanna... But looking deeply into his eyes, all she could see in them now was love, and inexplicably, she felt her eyes begin to water, and a tear fell.

Amir saw it and knew immediately that her grief was for Alex's betrayal, and for his own involving Joanna… he knew he didn't deserve her. "Megan," he said softly. "Please…I'm so sorry." He reached over and gently took her hand as more tears fell.

"I…I'm sorry. I didn't want to make a scene. It's just…so much has happened, and…I just don't know what's going to happen any more…"

He squeezed her hand gently. "No, we don't know what's going to happen, but I'd like to be there with you when it does…if you'll let me…please," he whispered.

That did it, and a sob escaped her lips. She grabbed her napkin and tried to compose herself. It felt as though her heart were breaking, and yet, she wanted to tell him…to tell him…

She drew in a deep breath, and with effort, pulled herself together. She dried her tears with the napkin and looked down at her menu. "I'm okay," she whispered. "I guess I'd better decide on what to order."

Amir had rarely seen her cry, and he was deeply affected by her tears. _That's right, you idiot…she's crying because of men like __you__ and Alex! You just used her and then went on to the next piece of ass. You pathetic piece of shit…you don't deserve her! _Amir closed his eyes as he internalized these thoughts, and then turned his attention to his menu. When their waiter brought their drinks, they both ordered the ahi tuna.

They spoke quietly as they ate, and Amir was glad to see that Megan seemed better now. When they finished dinner and their dessert of lime sorbet, he escorted her to the second level where a jazz trio played tonight. They found a table close to the dance floor and ordered drinks.

When the band began playing a mellow piece, Amir asked, "Would you care to dance?"

Megan smiled. "I'd love to."

There were a few other couples on the dance floor when Amir led her onto the floor, and they were soon swaying slowly to an old classic. It had been over two months since he'd held her in his arms like this, and he could remember a time not long ago when he thought he would never do so again. He held her closely, and he could smell the fresh scent of her hair. He closed his eyes and just enjoyed the feel of her in his arms...

* * *

It was 11:00 by the time they left P3 and arrived back home. It had been a good day and night, and Amir had loved having Megan with him since last night, but he wished there was more he could have done to convince her of his love…and try to win her back. He wasn't sure how long she would be with him tomorrow, the last day, and he didn't know what else he could do. 

When they came in the door, Megan went to the kitchen to get some water, and Amir went straight to the bedroom to remove his jacket and tie. When she still hadn't come into the bedroom, he went to look for her, and he saw that she'd walked out onto his patio and was now leaning against the block wall, looking out upon San Francisco Bay.

"You looked very beautiful tonight," he said as he came to stand next to her.

"Thank you. And thank you for taking me to P3. I love it there."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, cherie," he said softly. He paused as he looked out at the ships leaving the bay. "I've enjoyed having you here. I just…wish you could stay longer," he whispered.

She turned to him. "You do?" she asked softly.

He gazed deeply into her eyes. "Yes…I do."

He leaned over and kissed her, and when he felt her return the kiss, he embraced her and kissed her deeply. After everything, could she ever love him again?

Amir's kiss was intoxicating, and Megan felt as though she were floating. She loved him…she would always love him…

He was kissing her face, her ears and her neck and still couldn't get enough as she clung to him. He continued to kiss her neck and then trailed burning kisses along her shoulders and chest. He lowered her bodice, revealing her perfect breasts, and he kissed them, taking a nipple into his mouth, and then the other. It had been so long…

Megan was so happy…he was the only thing she had always wanted, and needed. She needed him now, and she wanted him to love her…

He brought his hand under her dress and cupped her buttock, squeezing it. He slipped his hand under her thong panty, and Megan gasped when he suddenly tore it from her. She felt his fingers between her legs, sliding smoothly between her silken folds until they were inside of her. She closed her eyes, parting her lips and breathing shallowly, expectantly. She could feel him fumbling with his pants. She was surprised when he suddenly lifted her against the wall…and then impaled her, his cock burying itself deep within her. She gasped as he thrust repeatedly, forcing her against the wall. The feel of his cock within her was wonderful, incredible, and she moaned raggedly with each thrust.

Megan felt so amazing, and for the first time, Amir _knew_ he wasn't just fucking her…he was making love to her. He hadn't intended to take her like this, but it had just happened. He loved everything she was and needed to make himself a part of her…and yet, he knew this was more than just physical...

Her moans and trembling form signaled that she was just a hairsbreadth from orgasming, and it excited him to the point of no return. He could feel his muscles begin to tighten, and an intense rush that consumed him and took him over as he exploded, his semen shooting into her as she came violently against him. It was a marvelous, magnificent explosion of white-hot sensation, an intense, euphoric sense of completion as he emptied the rest of himself into her…

When it was over, they were still, and the only audible sounds were of their breathing. Amir leaned against the wall as Megan rested against it, her head just under his chin.

"I love you, Megan," he whispered.

"I love you," she replied softly.


	77. Fault

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editor Archeology 101.

Chapter 77

Fault

_Sunday morning_

It was 6:30 in the morning and Juan was feeling wonderful as he remembered the night before. He moved closer to the other side of the bed, but soon realized that he was alone. He opened his eyes.

"Alex?" he called. "Alex?" But it was obvious he wasn't there. Juan rose and quickly dressed and cleaned up before stepping out the door. His truck was still in the driveway, so he assumed that Alex had gone for a walk…but did he go into the woods or down the beach? He decided to try the beach for it was what he would have done.

The sun was out and it was bright but overcast, and the air was cool and invigorating. He soon saw a pair of shoeprints in the sand and followed them. He loved walking along the beach when there was no one else around. The sound of the waves and the occasional seagull was soothing and he reflected that it made him glad to be alive.

As he followed the curving line of the seashore, he saw the rocks in the distance where they'd made love last night, and on one of the rocks was Alex on his cell phone. Juan thought it strange that Alex would be trying to call Megan this early in the morning and then wondered if he was actually speaking to her or to someone else. Following this thought, he suddenly felt a stab of jealousy. As he neared the rocks, he noticed Alex's long legs and relaxed pose as he reclined on the rock. _He's so damn hot. D__oes he even know what he does to me every time I look at him? _As he approached him, Alex hung up his phone and put it in his pocket.

Alex looked over and smiled beautifully. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

Juan leaned over and kissed him before sitting next to him. "Yes, I did. Did you ever get ahold of Megan?"

"No, I didn't. I had to leave her another message, and she hasn't returned any of my calls. I'm starting to worry about her. She's never not called me before."

"It looked like you were on the phone for awhile," Juan ventured.

Alex was frowning. "I'm going to go over there and talk to her when we get back if she still hasn't called me," he said, not addressing Juan's unstated question. "And if I still can't get her, maybe I'll call Christine. Maybe she'll know where she is."

"Could she have gone somewhere and just decided not to take her phone along?" Juan suggested.

"She could have, but I'm sure she would have at least told me, and she never goes anywhere without her phone, unless she just turned it off…but she would at least check her messages." Alex tried to consider all possibilities. "Unless she forgot her phone, which is very unlikely, I'm sure she's seen my messages. So that means she either won't return my calls or can't." He paused and then sighed. "I'm sure she's okay…but for some reason, she just doesn't want to call me. But why wouldn't she?"

"So who else were you talking to this morning?" Juan asked again.

"Nobody," Alex responded, distracted. "Are you hungry? Let's go get some breakfast."

"Okay." As they stood and began walking back to the cottage, Juan still felt uneasy although he knew he had no good reason to be. Alex loved him and was going to be moving in with him soon, and he'd never given him reason to be jealous or suspicious. He didn't want unfounded jealousy to become a part of their relationship and so decided to forget it.

They strolled leisurely back to the cottage and then drove to a nearby diner for breakfast, which already had a few customers sitting at the counter. A cheerful waitress showed them to a booth and poured them cups of coffee and left them a couple of menus. As he sipped his coffee, Alex looked across the table at Juan, who was looking out the window toward the street. _I love you so much, Juan. __I'd give my life for you._

When Juan looked back, he saw Alex staring at him. "What?"

Alex just shook his head. "Nothing," he whispered. Truth be known, he felt his eyes starting to water and had to look away. He was overcome by his feelings of love for Juan, and there were times, and they were surprisingly frequent, when he wanted to do nothing more than to just hold him, kiss him, or make love to him, and he wondered if everyone in love felt this way…

After breakfast they packed their bags and left the cottage to return home. They'd had a wonderful weekend and planned to meet up later for dinner. After Juan had dropped him off at home, Alex unpacked his bag and then took a quick shower. He changed into a comfortable set of knit pants and knit top and decided to try and call Megan again. He sat on the edge of his bed as he dialed.

"_Hi there! I'm sorry I missed your call, but don't go away! Please leave your name and number and I'll call you when I get back!"_

"Hi, Megan, it's Alex. I haven't talked to you since Thursday and I've been kind of worried because you haven't returned any of my calls. Please call me as soon as you get this message. I need to talk to you. Bye."

He hung up and just sat there for awhile thinking, and then he made a decision. Grabbing his keys, he headed out the door and hopped into his car. He didn't want to drag this out any longer.

Driving on his way to her apartment, he ran over in his mind the things he needed to tell her…about his feelings, and about Juan. By the time he reached her building and parked, he was nervous. He didn't want to hurt her, but there was no way around it.

He climbed up the stairs and walked up to her door and knocked. _It's Sunday morning, so she should be home._ When there was no answer he knocked again. When there was again no response, he called her home phone from his cell phone, and in a few moments he could hear it ringing from the other side of the door. He hung up before her answering machine picked it up.

As he descended the stairs, he wondered where she could be on a Sunday morning. _She never mentioned going to church, so maybe she's doing laundry or shopping. _He went downstairs and walked to the carport behind the building and saw that her car was still there. He went over and placed his hand on the engine hood and noted that it was cold. He wondered if she had spent the night at Christine's. He went back to sit in his car and opened the window as he called her.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Christine? It's Alex."

"Alex? Hi, what's up?"

"I was wondering if Megan was with you."

"No, she's not with me. Did you lose her?"

"Yeah, you could say that. If you hear from her, could you have her call me?"

"Sure."

"Thanks. Bye."

"Bye."

Alex was thoroughly perplexed. _Where the hell could she be?_

* * *

Megan was slowly waking up from a deliriously beautiful dream. She wished she could hang onto it, but it was quickly fading until all that was left was a feeling of contentment. She yawned and stretched, feeling Amir next to her, and she smiled. Last night was _incredible. _

She turned over and wrapped her arms around him. He was faced away from her, but he stirred when he felt her, and he turned over so she could lay her head on his shoulder.

"Good morning," he murmured sleepily. "Who are you?"

Megan raised her head and looked at him. _"Excuse me?"_

Amir still had his eyes closed, but he began to smile, and then laugh.

Megan realized he was only joking with her and playfully hit him. _"You creep!" _she cried, and she shook him roughly, but she couldn't help but laugh as well.

Amir was still laughing when he turned towards her and embraced her, kissing her affectionately.

"That was _not_ funny!" Megan scolded.

"Then why were you laughing?" he grinned.

"Because…you were laughing!" She waited to calm down. "What did you want to do today?"

"Why don't we shower and then go to the Farmer's Market? We can walk to it from here and buy some food for dinner."

They arose from bed and then took a shower. It was wonderful being together again, bathing together, and under the soothing hot water Amir kissed her. She felt soft and smooth, and he loved the womanly curves of her body.

Megan loved the feel of his muscles, his strength, and his tenderness. She knelt before him as the water beat down upon his back and she pleasured him.

It was a wonderful sensation to be pleasured like this, and he helped her up so he could take her against the shower wall. He loved making love to her in any and all ways…she felt so incredibly wonderful...

Megan was loving it. She loved being taken by him, roughly, gently, indoors, outdoors, in all ways. Yes, she had loved making love to Alex, but it had never been as glorious as it was with Amir…

* * *

When they arrived at the Farmer's Market, Megan saw a great many tents and tables set up along the street displaying a wealth of fruits and vegetables as well as breads, pastries, nuts, jams and jellies, flowers, and craft and jewelry items. Amir took her hand as they walked along, and she couldn't help but feel a joy in her heart as she imagined them buying groceries together as a couple. 

Amir stopped at one tent and purchased some onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers, and as they walked further along, Megan selected some bread, grapes, and flowers which Amir also purchased. There were many food vendors there as well with a variety of cuisines, so they decided to have some tacos with beans, rice and salsa with a bottle of water.

Megan was enjoying the Farmer's Market and wondered why she'd never been to one before. Amir loved being there with Megan. He'd never before felt inclined nor had the desire to take a girlfriend to the Farmer's Market before, but it seemed entirely natural with Megan. He realized then that he wanted her be a part of his whole life, and not just in bits and pieces. He stopped as they were walking and he looked at her.

"What?" She wondered why he stopped suddenly. He seemed to be looking at her strangely.

"I love you," he said softly. As he looked at her, Megan reflected that she'd never before seen him behave this way…but she liked it.

"I love you, too, baby," she smiled.

They walked from one end of the Farmer's Market to the other and came upon the jewelry section. Megan stopped at one of the tables to look at the silver jewelry and looked admiringly at a charm bracelet whose charms were in the shape of seashells, star fish, and sand dollars. As she held it up to her wrist, Megan thought it looked very attractive and fell in love with it. Amir took it from her and paid for it, and then helped her put it on her left wrist. "Thank you," she smiled, and she kissed him in appreciation. As they continued on their way, she occasionally looked at it on her wrist and knew that it would be one of her favorites. It was rather ironic since it was the most inexpensive piece Amir had ever purchased for her at $25. Still, it meant more to her than all the rest put together because he bought it for her after realizing he loved her.

The seafood vendors were their last stop at the Farmer's Market and they saw numerous large vats of water filled with lobsters, crabs, and shellfish. Large ice chests held whole and filleted fish, and from these, Amir purchased two large pieces of sea bass. After this, they began walking home and were there in minutes.

They put everything away to be prepared later in the evening. As Amir placed the bread in the pantry, Megan attractively arranged the flowers in a crystal vase and set them on a lace doily on the dining room table. When Amir saw the multi-colored tulips, he was very pleased. He ordinarily didn't have flowers in his apartment, but having them on his table now...he was remembering something...a long-forgotten memory. He was remembering a feeling, and it reminded him of warmth and love. It reminded him of _home. _He was surprised by how much this affected him. He never would have imagined that a woman's touch could mean so much, and for the first time in a very long time, he thought of his mother. She used to love having flowers in their home... He felt his throat tighten.

"They're lovely," he said softly. "Thank you."

Megan noticed his change in demeanor and went to embrace him. "You're welcome." She squeezed him tightly. After a moment, she asked hesitantly, "Um, can we go out for something, love?"

He looked at her curiously for she seldom, if ever, asked for anything. "We can do whatever you'd like, cherie,"

"Can we go out for a banana split?"

He looked at her, surprised. "Really?"

"Yes. It's been ages since I've had one, and I really want one now."

Amir smiled. "Of course, my love. Let's go now." He was thoroughly charmed by this incredible woman who could sometimes be childlike, and his heart swelled with love.

They made their way downstairs to the car and drove the few blocks to the ice cream shoppe. Amir wondered what flavors were her favorites and guessed that they would be chocolate and mint chocolate chip.

Going anywhere simple with Amir was a novelty for Megan since it was such a rare thing to do, and ordering ice cream together at a neighborhood ice cream store definitely qualified as such. _We're just like regular people _she thought. When she stepped up to the counter, she ordered a banana split with a scoop of mint chocolate chip, strawberry, and chocolate. She wanted marshmallow crème over the mint chocolate chip and chocolate, and pineapple over the strawberry, and whipped cream, nuts and cherries over everything.

Amir was amused by her careful construction of it for it was obvious she'd given this a lot of thought and had very exacting standards for her banana splits. For his part, he ordered a single scoop of cherry vanilla on a sugar cone. They went to sit outside in the shade of a table with a pastel-striped umbrella and enjoyed people-watching as they ate their ice cream and enjoyed one other. As large as the banana split was, Amir wondered if Megan would actually finish it, but his fears were unfounded as every last bit was eventually consumed with relish.

After she had taken her last bite, which was the last maraschino cherry, he asked, "Would you like to go for a walk on the beach…maybe to burn off those extra calories?"

Megan smiled and readily agreed, although not to burn off calories. As much dance practice as she had each week, she could pretty much eat whatever she wanted. As they walked back to the car, Megan realized that she was having so much fun with Amir that she wished she never had to go home.

They were soon driving south on the PCH, and 20 minutes later, turned off on a stretch of beach called Mussel Rock Park. It was a beautiful panorama of the California coast and adjacent mountains, but due to the rocky and uncleared areas close to the water, it was quite deserted. They alighted from the car and walked along the scrub brush to the water and admired the desolate scenery.

"It's so beautiful here," Megan said as she looked down the shoreline. It was slightly windy here near the water and her hair lifted in the breeze. "I wonder why they don't develop it more?"

"You know we're all waiting for the 'big one' when the San Andreas Fault finally gives way, right?" Amir asked.

"Of course. But that's all of California," she replied. "Look how beautiful it is here. It seems like such a waste not to make it available to everyone."

"Well, we're standing in it."

"Standing in what?"

"The San Andreas Fault. Do you see that bluff over there with those buildings overlooking the ocean?"

Megan looked behind them and saw a tall escarpment about a half-mile away with homes on the edge.

"This area was the epicenter for the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. That bluff used to extend much farther out, but since the earthquake, the sea cliff has continued to collapse ever so often due to erosion, causing massive landslides and destroying whatever was up there. I imagine those homes will be next."

Megan was now looking at the size of the escarpment and its length. "We're actually _in_ the San Andreas Fault?" she asked warily.

"Yes, this entire area is within the fault itself. It's quite large, and of course every now and then you have smaller earthquakes as pressure is relieved off the major fault. It's many years overdue, but we're probably safe right now," he said, noticing Megan's nervousness. "The chance of something happening while we're here today is really quite small."

"So this entire area is supposed to fall into the ocean someday?" she asked.

"Actually, that'll never happen because of the type of fault it is," he explained. "The two plates are sliding past one another, not one going under the other one. So at most, the west coast will slide up towards the northwest."

"Oh...that's good to know." Megan tried to take this to heart, but she was still nervous knowing where they were now. They walked along the narrow beach, the roaring waves, the smell of saltwater, and the cool breeze helping her to temporarily compartmentalize the fact that she was standing on the site of what would one day be the epicenter of the greatest natural disaster in California history.

"So Juan is Alex's boyfriend?" Amir asked. He wanted to know what was going on with this.

"Yes. They were involved two years ago when Juan had to move away. Apparently they were serious. He wasn't expected to move back, but when he did, I guess the old feelings just came back. Alex and I were supposed to have dinner with him Friday night to celebrate him being HIV negative, but I couldn't make it. Something must have happened, because when I got there, I saw them kissing in front of his building."

"Did you love him?"

"Yes, I did. But…" She thought back on their relationship, remembering how it started and everything it was... It had never been as wonderful as her relationship with Amir.

"But?" Did she regret having come to him?

"But, it wasn't the same."

"What do you mean? What wasn't the same?"

"It was never like being with you."

They walked along quietly for awhile.

"What now? He's been trying to reach you."

Megan took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She raised her arms in the air above her head and felt the cool breeze as she walked.

"We'll talk soon." She didn't know when that would be, but knew she'd be glad when it was over.

_

* * *

_

_Sunday night_

Alex and Juan had had a wonderful dinner at The Great San Francisco Fish Market and then had gone for a walk along the pier. It was a wonderful evening and the wharf was still filled with tourists at this late hour since it was the weekend. As they walked past the shops on the boardwalk, they occasionally window-shopped and then purchased a couple ice cream cones as they went.

It was a very pleasant evening and there were a number of people walking along the pier. The sound of the waves gently hitting the supports under them and of people talking softly was soothing to the ear, and the smell of salt water and the cool ocean air relaxed the senses. Juan was happy and content. All he wanted was Alex, and he would soon be moving his things in. The horrible emptiness he'd felt while in Washington was almost forgotten, and everything he'd ever wanted in Alex was about to come true.

They were walking along quietly towards the end of the lighted pier, but Alex was wondering about Megan. He'd left no fewer than six messages on both her cell phone and home phone this weekend and she'd never called back. If anything was wrong, he was certain someone would have let him know, so he couldn't understand why she hadn't called. He had to do the right thing and tell her about the new situation as soon as possible. It wasn't right that she didn't know.

He looked over at Juan as they walked along and he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. Alex remembered the first time he'd ever met Juan. It was in a history class, and Juan had been sitting a few rows below him. Alex had raised his hand to answer a question, and when Juan had turned around to look at him, he'd almost forgotten what the answer was. After he'd struggled through it he thought he'd made a complete fool of himself, but then Juan had turned around again and smiled at him, and Alex had shyly smiled back. They met a couple weeks later and Alex had felt an immediate attraction to him. And though he hadn't known it at the time, Juan had felt an attraction to him from the moment he'd first seen him.

He remembered their first "date" and their first kiss after the date. It was both frightening and wonderful because he'd never been with a man before and didn't know how Juan would react to his feelings for him. But being five years older and more experienced, Juan had put him at ease by taking things slowly. And by the end of the evening, it had felt natural to end it with a kiss. He would never forget that kiss…

When they reached the end of the pier, they leaned against the railing and looked out at the ocean and the blackness and the oil derricks, and felt the slight movement of the pier as the waves struck the supports. Juan took Alex's hand and held it discreetly. "I love you," he said softly.

"I love you, too," Alex replied.

After several minutes, they decided to make an early night of it since Alex had to go to work in the morning, and they strolled back down the pier to the parking lot. They kissed each other goodnight as they went to their respective cars and drove home.

Alex knew that Megan had an early class tomorrow, so if she was gone over the weekend, then she would surely come home tonight. He decided to swing by her apartment to see if she was there, and if so, despite the hour, he would talk to her.

When he reached her building, he saw that the lights were still off in her apartment, so he decided he would wait awhile before giving up and going home.

* * *

It was after ten when Amir drove Megan home. It'd been an amazing weekend. The events that had unfolded since Friday night had been incredible and unforeseen, and now…everything was wonderful. 

Amir took her overnight bag out of the car and helped her carry it up the stairs. When Megan unlocked her door and stepped into her apartment, she switched on the lights and took her suitcase into her bedroom. Amir walked over to look in on Azuki Bean and saw that he was curled up in a ball, fast asleep.

Megan came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Thank you for being there for me," she murmured. "And thank you for this weekend."

Amir turned around and embraced her. "You're welcome…and I will always be there for you, my love," he said softly. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay," she smiled, and she kissed him.

Amir made his way to the door and kissed her again. "I love you," he said as he touched her cheek.

"I love you, too," Megan whispered. She closed the door gently as he departed and walked to her bedroom to unpack. She had packed lightly and was glad she didn't have a lot of laundry. She took the clothes and threw them in the laundry basket and was about to get undressed for bed when there was a knock on the door. She smiled and wondered what Amir had forgotten. Or perhaps he didn't forget anything at all…

She opened the door wide with a smile. "Did you forget something, my love?"

Her smile fell immediately.

It was Alex.


	78. Amazing

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and to my wonderful story editor Archeology 101.

Chapter 78

Amazing

_Sunday night_

Alex noted Megan's shock at seeing him at her door. She hadn't expected him.

"Hi, Megan," he said evenly. "I just saw Amir drive away. I was worried because you hadn't returned my calls."

"I…I was gone all weekend and I had my phone off…I just got back." She couldn't believe Alex was actually standing there.

When she didn't move, he asked, "May I come in?" She opened the door wider and moved aside, perhaps too quickly, and he stepped into the apartment. They went into the living room and sat on the couch at opposite ends.

"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked automatically.

"Megan, why didn't you return any of my calls?" he asked, ignoring her question. "I was worried about you."

"I was upset…I had to get away for a couple days."

"What was so upsetting that you had to leave without telling me, and then not return my calls?" he asked heatedly. "And then I see you with Amir!"

"_Stop it!_ You've got a lot of nerve accusing me of anything!" she shot back angrily.

Alex hesitated. "What do you mean?"

"I saw you and Juan…last Friday. I saw you kissing!"

Alex froze. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. He sighed as he slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "It…just happened."

"But why? You said you loved me."

"I _do_ love you. He was going to move back to Washington because he felt we were eventually going to get married and have a family, and he didn't want to stay if we couldn't be together. I just couldn't lose him again. I never wanted to hurt you, Megan. I'm sorry."

She could only stare. She was hurt, but not like she thought she would be. She stood. "I think I'll get some water," she said suddenly.

Alex watched her walk to the kitchen. He stood up and ran his hands over his face. He walked over to look in on Azuki Bean and saw that he was asleep. He shook his head. _Does this make me as bad as Amir?_

He was sitting on the couch by the time Megan returned with two glasses of ice water, and they each took a sip.

"So did you go over to Amir's when you left?" he asked.

"Yes…I didn't know where else to go."

"Did you sleep with him?" he asked softly. He had to know.

"Yes...did you sleep with Juan?"

"Yes."

"Do you still love him?"

"Yes, I do. Are you still in love with Amir?"

"Yes…I am."

"And does he still love you?" he asked.

"Yes."

Alex sighed. "Then I guess we're both where we should be now. I'm sorry if I've hurt you. You never deserved any of this."

She looked away, remembering everything between them, how they met… She felt rather philosophical about it now and shook her head. "No, everything happens for a reason. We're with the people we should be with now."

He gently touched her cheek. "I'll always love you," he said softly.

"I'll always love you, too," she replied.

Alex stood and prepared to take his leave, and Megan saw him to the door. He turned and then placed a kiss upon her lips.

"Goodbye, Megan," he said softly.

"Goodbye, Alex."

_

* * *

_

_Monday noon_

Christine made her way over to their table in the cafeteria and set her tray down across from Megan who had already started on her salad. Was it her imagination, or did Megan look a bit peaked?

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Christine asked as she took her seat.

"Rough weekend," she replied. "Alex and I broke up…and I'm with Amir again."

"_What? You're kidding!" _Christine couldn't believe it. Leave her alone for a few days and all hell breaks loose. "What the hell happened?"

As they ate their salads, Megan recounted everything…seeing Alex and Juan kissing, running to Amir, their weekend together, and then her talk with Alex. It was hard to believe this all happened in the span of just three days.

Christine could only shake her head. "Amazing. Alex called me over the weekend looking for you, but you and Amir are back together again. How's that working out?"

At this Megan smiled. "It's great. He finally told me he loved me, and he shows me and tells me all the time. It's like he's trying to make up for everything and for all the wasted time."

Christine grinned. "I don't doubt it. After everything that's happened, he'd better!"

"And you know what else I realized? I realized that I've been changed by being with him. Before, I never cared if I ever went to places like The Forbidden City or Paladin's and got all dressed up with expensive jewelry. But when I was with Alex, I realized that I missed those things, that I really enjoyed the trappings of wealth. I'm not saying that that's why I'm in love with Amir, because those things wouldn't matter if I was really in love with Alex. But because I _am_ in love with Amir, I can really appreciate fine things with him. Do you know what I mean?"

Christine nodded. "Of course I do. It was the same when I dated Rick and then Erik. I never cared about those things either _until_ I started dating them. If I ever started dating someone who wasn't wealthy, I'd notice it right away, but if I really loved him, it wouldn't matter. Of course it's nice to be able to go to the best places and have expensive jewelry and clothes and things, and we're in a position to enjoy those things now, so we're really privileged. But if we were in love with someone who wasn't wealthy, I don't think those things would be important any more. Maybe they would be to some people, and that's a matter of personal preference, but you and I aren't like that. I love Erik for Erik and you love Amir for Amir. We only found out about their wealth after we got to know them."

"Exactly!" Megan was glad Christine understood. She sipped her iced tea. "So how's your audition piece coming? Have you decided on what you're going to wear?"

"I've got my piece picked out and I'm practicing at least two hours a day. It's perfect because I'll be able to show off my range. I don't think anyone else will use the same piece, and it's an instrumental, so I'll just be vocalizing to it. I haven't picked out the outfit I'm going to wear yet, though. What about you? Are you almost ready?"

"Yes, I've selected the piece and choreographed it. Now I'm just rehearsing it, and I still have to decide on a costume."

Christine took a last bite of her cherry tomato and thought about her conversation with Erik last Friday. "Um, has Amir ever told you anything about his past?"

Megan looked up from her salad. "His past? No, not really. All I really know is that he's from Iran and that he and Erik used to work together there. Why? Has Erik told you anything about himself?"

"Yes, he did. If you're serious about him, you'd better talk to him about it."

She shrugged. "Okay."

The bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period, so they gathered their trays and book bags and proceeded to their next class, promising to talk later.

_

* * *

_

_Monday evening_

Alex brought his second box of belongings into Juan's apartment as Juan set the table.

"Do you need a hand with any of that?" he called from the dining room.

"No, this is all I brought for tonight. I've still got a few weeks, so I'll just bring a little bit each time. And I've rented a storage unit to hold my extra furniture."

"Well, let's see what you've brought." Juan walked into the living room and knelt down to look in one of the boxes. "Hmm, books, CDs, magazines, more books…" He went over to the second box and found more of the same. "I've started making room in the bedroom, the closets, and bookshelves, so you can start putting your stuff up whenever you want. Here…let's eat now."

Juan had prepared a wonderful broiled fish fillet dinner with a special salsa topping that was out of this world. Alex enjoyed it immensely and smiled across the table at him. "You're an even better cook than my mother," he smiled.

"That's quite a compliment considering she owns a restaurant. But nobody can beat your margaritas," he grinned, holding up his glass.

"I spoke with Megan last night."

Juan stopped. "How did that go?"

"I went over there after I left you. Her apartment was still dark, so I waited awhile and she finally came home…Amir dropped her off. And she had a suitcase."

"Oh?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Turns out she saw us in front of the building Friday night. She ran to Amir, and she spent the weekend there."

"Did she sleep with him?"

"Yeah. She still loves him and he's still in love with her, so it worked out."

"Do you still love her?" He wondered if Alex was hurt by Megan's flight into Amir's arms.

Alex shrugged. "I think I'll always love her, but I never wanted to hurt her, so I'm glad she's got Amir. We're both where we want to be now." Alex looked down at his plate and pushed his food around. It was obvious he didn't want to talk about it any more. He sipped his margarita.

"You know," Juan said softly, "you don't have to wait till the end of the month to move in. The end of the month was just to empty your apartment. You can stay here now."

Alex smiled. "I'd like that, but I think I'll just stay a few nights a week until I give up the apartment. That way I'll have more time to pack and clean up the place before I turn in the keys."

After dinner, they retired to the living room. Alex walked around, looking at the items in the bookcases and becoming acclimated to his surroundings while Juan sat on the couch watching him. "What's on your mind, love?" he asked.

"I love this apartment," he said as he looked at a small framed picture of them taken about three years ago. It had been taken by one of Alex's relatives at a family gathering. He and Juan had been talking quietly and their heads were close together when the picture was snapped. Although it had been innocent, they'd always thought that picture was sexy and they loved it. "It's hard to believe I'll be living here in less than a month," he murmured.

"Then I'll have you right where I want you," Juan said with a wicked gleam in his eye.

Alex went over to him on the couch and straddled him. "It's where I want myself, too," he teased seductively. He gently stroked Juan's hair and face, looking into the eyes of the man he loved. He thread his fingers through his hair and kissed him. Even now he couldn't believe that a man as wonderful and as attractive as Juan could actually love him and now want him to live in his apartment. It was a dream come true… "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too, Alejandro. Forever and a day..."

_

* * *

_

_Thursday night_

Erik and Amir had decided to get together to relax this evening at a favorite watering hole in old town San Francisco. The Davey Jones was located on a narrow side street and was a small but charming neighborhood bar reflecting deep sea nautical themes. Though it was about 11:00, there were still a number of patrons there. They sat in a booth and nursed their drinks as they caught up on the latest developments.

Erik sipped his bourbon. "Christine asked about my past Friday."

Amir looked up. "What did you tell her?"

"Only what she needed to know. She knows now that I was an assassin…and that we worked together."

"Then she no doubt said something to Megan. I'll have to figure out what to tell her. Alex and Juan are back together. She drove over right after she saw them kissing." Amir sipped his whiskey sour.

"Really? And she spent the night with you?" Erik helped himself to some fried calamari.

"The entire weekend. I took her to the Muir Woods, the Farmer's Market, P3, and Mussel Rock Park. Oh, and I also got her a banana split."

"Sounds like you had a good weekend. Did you sleep with her?"

"Yes, we're back together again…finally."

"It's about time. What have you leaned from all this?"

Amir took a piece of calamari and dipped it into some sauce before popping it into his mouth. "I've learned not to take love for granted. It's far too precious and rare to just throw away."

Erik nodded. "Where to from here?"

Amir shrugged. "I don't know…we'll just have to see where it leads us. All I know is that this is it for me. I'll never want anyone else." He paused to sip his drink. "And what about you?"

"The same. It's always been Christine. Whatever happens, I'll always be there for her to make sure she's happy and successful."

"Have you ever thought about making it permanent?"

Erik paused. "You mean get married? You've got to be joking. As if anyone would want to be married to this," he gestured to his face.

Amir sighed. "After everything you've been through, you don't think Christine could accept you as you are?"

Erik looked at him sullenly. "Yes, I think she could accept it, but I don't think she would want to. Realistically, who would? And besides…what if it's hereditary?"

Amir studied him before speaking. "If it was Christine with the deformity and you didn't know whether it was hereditary, would you ever consider marrying her?"

Erik glared at him. "How could you even ask such a thing? It has nothing to do with reality!"

But Amir wouldn't give up. "What I'm saying is, how much do you love her? Enough to take a chance? It's _her_ choice, mon ami. Will you even _give_ her a chance to make a choice, or will you make it for her?"

"_Enough!" _he said sharply. "I will not discuss this further!"

Amir finished his drink. "All right, my friend. Come on, we'd better go. It's getting late."

Erik threw back his head and downed the rest of his drink. They left the bar and hiked up the well-lit sidewalk to the car, which was in a parking lot around the corner. It occurred to him that he really didn't go out often since everything he needed was either already in his apartment or was delivered, and he seldom went out any more unless he was with Christine or Amir. He wondered if he needed to get out more on his own…

"_Hold it right there! Give us your wallets!"_

_Oh hell, not again._ Erik couldn't believe it. He and Amir turned around, and two burly men about their age, whom they recognized from the bar, now stood about six feet away, one with a gun and the other with a knife.

"Okay, Zorro, your wallet," the gunman ordered threateningly. "You, too, pretty boy," he addressed Amir.

Erik and Amir briefly glanced at one another. They each took out their wallet and tossed it to each man.

The gunman reached out to catch it when Erik suddenly grabbed his other wrist and sharply kicked in the man's knee, breaking it with a loud _crack_. The gun fired and dropped to the ground as the man screamed. He fell heavily to the ground, clutching his right leg and screaming in pain.

At the same moment, the knife wielder reached out to catch his wallet when Amir kicked the knife out of his hand and backhanded a chop directly across his throat, effectively crushing his trachea. The man grabbed his throat, unable to make a sound, and struggled to breathe. He began to choke, backing away in panic and then running down the sidewalk and down a side street.

The gun wielder still clutched his leg and was cursing loudly, but surprisingly, he clambered up and speedily hobbled away, his right knee bending backwards grotesquely with each step.

Erik picked up his wallet and he saw Amir kick the gun and knife off the curb and down a storm drain. "It'll be awhile before they try that again," Amir murmured. "Let's go."

As Amir drove him home, Erik closed his eyes for awhile.

Amir looked over at him. "Are you all right?" he inquired.

"I'm fine," he murmured. He was thinking about his earlier conversation with Amir about having Christine see him without his mask. Although he wore it every day, there were times he would forget that it was even on his face, and he would go through his days like anyone else. But once in awhile, like tonight, something would happen that would bring the mask into sharp relief and remind him of what he was. It'd been some time since he'd thought about it, but he thought about it again now. _If she knew, how could she ever want to be a part of me? Should I let her see and have her leave me in disgust? Should I give her a choice? If she ever leaves me, it _will not_ be because of my face!_

He rested his hand against his forehead and he could feel the edge of the mask. He gently ran his fingers along its edge. Amir had seen him once long ago by accident. Erik had quickly replaced his mask when he saw Amir staring at him, but they'd never spoken of it. It had never affected their friendship, but then again, they had never been in love. He sighed and tried to put it out of his mind for it was a conundrum that had no right or wrong answers. He only knew that he would never again do anything to lose Christine…

_

* * *

_

_Saturday morning_

_They were on the island again, just he and Christine, and they were all alone. They were in a luxurious tent that had sheer fabric tied at the corners, and they were lying naked on a huge mattress that was the most comfortable he'd ever lain on. It was a gorgeous day. Although they were in the cool shade of the tent, the day was bright and cloudless. They could see and hear the waves on the beach and the seagulls as they flew overhead. It was like being in paradise. _

_His head lay on a pillow, and there were no covers for it was warm and pleasant, but he could feel the most wonderful sensation…_

_Christine was pleasuring him, and he was greatly enjoying her attention. They had all the time in the world, no commitments or obligations, and day after day of bliss…_

_He closed his eyes and concentrated on the feel of her silky tongue and lips along his length, and then moving lower as she teased his testicles. She took hold of his cock as her tongue moved even lower. He could hardly stand the multitude of sensations and he began to feel the familiar build-up of tension along the full length of his shaft. Christine again took him into her mouth, and the sensual waves roared as they started to crash over him. It was overwhelming, his mind was exploding…and he cried out when he exploded in ecstasy…_

…and awoke rhapsodic, breathing heavily as he came in her mouth. He was sweaty, and his heart was pounding from the exertion. Christine swallowed it and sucked his cock until she was certain she had it all. It was apparent she was enjoying herself because she left his now flaccid penis and immediately captured his testicles. Erik had to stop her for he was much too sensitive now to accept any more comforts.

"Why are you so amorous this morning?" he asked as he tried to catch his breath from this unexpected wake-up.

"I couldn't resist you," she smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I could just eat you up!"

"Mmm…it's a wonderful way to wake up," he murmured happily. "Are you hungry, my love? Would you like some breakfast?"

"I think I just had it," she whispered mischievously.

"Minx," he smiled.

"I can't help it…I just love you so much," she said sincerely. "I'm so glad we're back together again. I don't ever want to be without you again."

"And you never will be, my love." He kissed her and looked at her tenderly. "I love you, Christine," he whispered.

They arose from bed and took a quick shower, after which they went to the kitchen so Erik could prepare a scrumptious breakfast of fruit crepes and eggs. When they had finished breakfast and cleaned up, Christine asked what they were going to do today, to which Erik answered simply, "We're going to go a-mazing!"

Christine looked at him curiously. "Um, what's that?"


	79. Trust

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's note: My sincere thanks to all who reviewed.

Chapter 79

Trust

_Saturday morning_

They were on the northbound 101 Freeway heading inland. Erik had suggested spending the night in Napa, the heart of the California wine country, and Christine had been thrilled for she'd never been there, although it was yet another thing she'd always wanted to do.

It was a beautiful day and for once was not overcast. They were both dressed casually and looked like a couple on vacation. Erik wore a dark shirt, trousers and a dark sweater, and Christine wore a thick pullover sweater, a mid-length skirt, and short boots. The jazz station played softly in the background as they drove northward and Christine was excited about going on another overnight trip with Erik. They eventually began to pass vineyards and wide open spaces after they'd driven three-quarter of an hour and Christine turned to Erik and asked, still confused, "How do you go 'amazing'?"

"You'll see," he smiled. He loved surprising Christine and seeing her eyes light up whenever he shared something new and unusual with her. Seeing things anew through her eyes was a joy, and he loved being the one to reveal these wondrous things to her and be her guide. Before meeting her, he'd rarely had moments he would have considered "fun." But since she'd come into his life, every moment was precious, joyful, and fun. She'd been the inspiration for his now famous overture, but this shouldn't have been surprising since everything he felt in his heart was in some way tied to his love for Christine. He felt his heart overflow with this thought and he glanced over at her. She was looking out the window at the row upon row of grapevines in the vineyards they were passing as she gently bobbed her head in time to a jazz piece.

In a few more minutes they turned off the highway and began driving through the beautiful town of Napa. Christine was thoroughly charmed by everything she saw. Erik drove down side streets that eventually took them past a vineyard along a country road until they arrived at their destination, the Vino Bello Inn. It was surprising to find a beautiful Tuscan-style inn so close to a vineyard, and when they walked into the spacious lobby, Christine saw that everything was indeed reminiscent of old world Italy with dark scrolled woodwork and beautiful flowers in large Italian vases.

When they checked in at the beautiful front desk, the desk clerk greeted them warmly. Erik spoke to him briefly and Christine wondered if Erik had been here before. The desk clerk presented them with two key cards and they were soon going up the elevator that would take them to their suite on the second floor. As they made their way down the hallway to their room, Christine was struck by the elegance of the inn. Everything looked new and the carpeting was surprisingly plush. It was much more elegant than she would have imagined.

When they reached their room, Erik inserted the key card and they stepped into the suite. It was absolutely beautiful and luxurious. Upon walking into the suite, the first thing Christine noticed was a basket with a complementary bottle of champagne and two champagne flutes on the table with a card bidding them welcome. The walls of the suite were warm and golden, and the king-sized bed was done in rich red fabrics with a lavish headboard canopy fit for royalty. A gas fireplace sat at the foot of the bed and a balcony overlooked the vineyards and mountains. When they set their suitcases down, Christine peeked into the large bathroom and saw a Roman whirlpool tub large enough for two, and a spacious five-head shower.

"Oh, Erik, it's beautiful!" she beamed.

"I'm glad you like it, my love," he smiled as she kissed him. They set about unpacking their suitcases and putting away their clothes and toiletries. When they were finished, Erik took her hand and led them toward the door. "Come on, my love, now is the time to go a-mazing," he said happily.

Christine smiled. She'd been waiting for this for hours and was now almost fit to be tied. She wondered what could be more amazing than this amazing hotel?

As they walked through the inn, Christine noticed that Erik was leading her out towards the back of the building, and once outside, they walked along a path that took them past a tall hedge. They walked along the hedge for a ways until they came to a break in it, and a map and legend was posted at an entrance.

"You might want to read this before we get started," Erik suggested as he looked at it.

Christine looked at the legend and map and was surprised to see that they were at the Vino Bello Elizabethan Hedge Maze.

Christine was as excited as a child on Christmas morning! She'd heard of hedge mazes but had never seen one, much less been in one, and was thrilled that she would actually have the chance to experience one now. According to the legend, the maze was twelve acres square and it took about two hours to find the way to the middle and then find the way back out. The map showed the entrance where they were now and the pathways within the maze that were surprisingly numerous and confusing. If it seemed confusing on the map, Christine wondered how they could ever hope to find their way in a mere two hours.

"Are we ready?" Erik asked.

Christine smiled and was ready for the challenge. "Yes, let's go!"

As they began their way up and down the various passageways, Christine noticed that the hedges were made from hardy junipers about twelve feet high, and she couldn't believe there were actually twelve acres! _Keeping these things trimmed must be a full-time job,_ she thought. Erik was pleased to see Christine having such a good time and left it to her to lead them through the maze, although they ran into a number of dead ends along the way. When he saw her becoming frustrated with their lack of progress, he made subtle suggestions on which direction to go, and they would be on their way again. After an hour, they reached the center of the maze which offered stone benches to rest weary explorers and also a "magical fountain." It was a beautifully sculpted medieval fountain as tall as the hedges, and there were many coins in the water.

As they sat on the edge of the fountain, Erik reached into his pocket and withdrew two brand new copper pennies and gave one to Christine. "Make a wish, darling," he smiled. "You've earned it."

Christine took one of the pennies and closed her eyes to make a wish. When she'd decided on her wish, she opened her eyes and tossed the penny into the fountain where it bounced off a statue of a mermaid before landing in the water. She looked over at Erik and saw him smile before tossing his penny into the water, and she wondered what he had wished to elicit such a mysterious smile.

Christine stood and thought they should probably start finding their way back when Erik unexpectedly took her hand and pulled her back to him. She went to him and he enveloped her in his arms, squeezing her to him.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you, too." Christine smiled. She loved that he told her and showed her frequently that he loved her. She was so happy to be here with him for he was her life and her world.

He pushed the hair back from her face and kissed her tenderly. Christine was lost in his kiss. There was nowhere in the world she would rather have been than in his arms, and never had she ever felt so complete than with him. _I'm so happy…_ she thought.

She felt his hands go under her sweater and move her bra aside so he could suckle her, and she stiffened and began to pull back, but his arms held her fast and she couldn't pull away.

"_Stop! _Don't do that here, somebody might come along!" she whispered anxiously as she looked around quickly.

But Erik wouldn't stop and he smiled crookedly as he pressed himself on her. "No one will come along…relax, darling," he murmured, and he brought his hand up under her skirt and panties, feeling her wetness.

"_Erik, what are you doing! Someone might come along at any moment, even kids!" _she whispered frantically. Christine was becoming quite agitated and tried to pull away from him and hold her sweater and skirt down when Erik stopped long enough to look at her.

"Christine, do you trust me?" he asked calmly.

"Erik, of course I trust you! But I'm talking about not getting arrested for indecent exposure!"

"If you trust me, then trust me," he murmured, and he kissed her again before leading her over to one of the benches where he laid her down gently and removed her panties. He spread her legs and began to feast upon her, tasting her essence, loving her…

Christine was torn between fear and excitement and thought everything seemed so surreal…the cool air, the sound of the fountain, the tall hedges all around, and the wonderful sensation of Erik's tongue upon her clit as his fingers played with her nipples… _Oh God, I'm going to come…_

She exploded without reserve, crying out loudly from wave upon wave of indescribable pleasure, Erik holding her down as he continued to stimulate her. When her orgasm had reached its crest, he quickly moved on top of her and slid his cock into her easily, causing her to spasm again as he pumped into her. He loved taking her outdoors…there was just something about being out in the open that heightened the experience. He grunted as he pumped faster, groaning at last as he came into her. _God, she feels incredible…_

When it was over, Erik kissed her gently before moving off of her. Christine lowered her sweater and skirt and adjusted her bra.

"Are you all right?" Erik asked softly.

Christine lay still with her eyes closed as her breathing returned to normal. "That was so nice..." she whispered. "...thank you." She slowly pulled herself up and picked up her panties.

When they were ready to begin their trek back through the maze to find their way out, Christine sighed. As much fun as it'd been finding their way in, she wished they didn't have to spend another hour running into dead ends and going on wild goose chases.

"Since you found the way in, how about I find the way out?" Erik suggested, and this was more than okay with Christine. He took her hand as they walked down numerous pathways, and Christine noticed that not only were they not running into any dead ends, but Erik seemed to know where they were going.

As they walked along, Christine asked, "How did you know that no one else would be in the maze when we were? It seems like there should've been more people in it."

"There was no one else in the maze because I arranged it with the inn. Just like we were able to check in this morning when the normal check-in time is 4:00."

Christine thought about this and realized that Erik always took care of her whether she knew it or not. She was finally beginning to understand that she just needed to trust him completely and stop holding back. _That's what I've been doing…I've been holding back all this time and didn't even know it. If I love him, I just need to trust him…really trust him..._

Within fifteen minutes, they had reached the entrance and were out of the maze. Christine couldn't believe it. "Erik, how did you do that! Have you ever been in this maze before?"

"No, I've never been here before, but mazes and puzzles are a hobby of mine. This maze was planned using a maze generation algorithm. If you understand them, it's not too difficult to figure out."

"Are all mazes made the same way?"

"No, there are many different ways to make a maze, but you can tell what kind they are by looking at a map of one. This one was rather easy, but there are really difficult ones in Europe. Perhaps we'll see one of them someday," he smiled, and he led her back to the inn. "Are you hungry? Let's get some lunch."

Christine could only stare at him in awe. _He's a genius, Christine. Haven't you realized that yet? Don't you understand all that that means? He's smarter than you'll ever know…and he loves you. Yes, he loves YOU, Christine… _She began to feel a deep sense of shame in her heart as she began to understand the depth of Erik's love for her. _I've been so stupid. It's been right in front of me the whole time. Please forgive me, Erik…_

When they reached the inn, Erik took her hand and led her into yet another part of the building until they came to a steep stairway, a sign indicating that they had arrived at _The Cavern Restaurant and Wine Bar_.

Christine wondered just how large an underground restaurant could be, but when they entered the dining room, she was surprised to see that it was actually quite large with dark wood paneling throughout and small colored lamps hanging above each table, providing just enough illumination. The restaurant was rather comfortably filled and they could hear the low buzz of conversation as they were led to a very nice table in a corner.

As she looked around, Christine turned her attention back to Erik and could only stare. He was sitting in his chair casually, fully relaxed, yet exuded an almost palpable sensuality. A small smile played around the corners of her mouth.

"What?" he asked curiously.

She smiled and shook her head. _He's so damned hot, and he doesn't even know it. All the women turned to looked at him the moment we walked in…but he didn't even notice. He doesn't realize that he looks like a model... _"Did you know…that you're the handsomest man I've ever laid eyes on?" she smiled.

He looked at her evenly, unemotionally, and she wondered what was going through his mind.

He looked down at the table and then opened his menu. The conversation was apparently over. This wasn't the reaction she'd expected.

"Erik?"

He looked up, but then returned to his menu. Christine didn't understand. _What did I do? Did I say something wrong? _She was immediately upset, realizing but not knowing why she'd upset him.

The waiter returned with their beverages, white wine for Erik and an iced tea for Christine. He took their orders, Christine ordering the black and bleu catfish, and Erik ordering the Chilean sea bass, and then he departed with their menus and they were left with one another.

Christine didn't know what to say at this point and so decided not to say anything else that could land her foot in her mouth again. But as they sat, her thoughts churned as to what had just happened between them and why. _All I said was that he was the best looking man I'd ever seen. There was nothing wrong with that, so it can't be me, it has to be him. He still has a problem with his appearance. If only he knew the truth…_

Erik felt awful. He knew that Christine had only meant to compliment him, but it was such a painful subject for him that he couldn't even acknowledge it. He'd always excelled both physically and mentally as a means to compensate for his disfigurement, but even after having conquered every challenge and obstacle throughout his life, it was never enough, for no one that mattered had ever been able to accept his appearance for what it was. _I'll be damned if I lose Christine over this, too. If only she knew the truth…_

Lunch was a very quiet affair, and when it was over, they returned to their suite. Christine walked over to the sliding glass window and opened the drapes, looking out over the balcony at the acres and acres of beautiful vineyards. Behind her, she heard Erik pick up the car keys and walk to the door.

She turned around as he was about to leave. "Where are you going?"

"I'll be back. Dress for dinner at seven," and then he was gone.

Christine was shocked. He left her and even didn't say where he was going, just that he would be back in time for dinner…in four hours! She was left gaping at the closed door…

* * *

Erik walked quickly to the car and pulled away from the inn as fast as he could. He had to get away from Christine for awhile and just think. 

After awhile he found a road going up a hill and took it all the way to the top. When he reached the crest, he stopped and looked out upon a vista of endless vineyards and green hillsides. It was beautiful and peaceful and he was alone.

He sat in the car for awhile, feeling the breeze ruffle his hair, and he thought. After awhile, he removed his mask and lowered the car's visor so he could look at himself in the mirror. He covered one half of his face and saw that he wasn't a bad looking man from this side. But when he covered the other side, he saw that it looked truly horrible, like something out of a bad movie. He then looked at his whole face, the face that Christine would see if he were ever to show her. _Could she accept this face? I asked her to trust me…but do I trust her? Trust her to stay with me after she sees what I really am under the mask? _

He rubbed his eyes before replacing the mask. _Why does she have to see it at all?_

* * *

When he left, Christine had been shocked, and she wasn't even sure if she should be furious or upset. _I didn't do anything! _She had four hours to kill before dinner, so she decided to go exploring. She grabbed her room key and purse and went out the door.

* * *

_Saturday evening_

Christine returned from her exploring in plenty of time to get ready for dinner. She showered and washed her hair and then got dressed and ready. She'd brought a dark blue spaghetti-strapped dress that was one of Erik's favorites, and she accessorized it with the necklace he'd gotten for her on their first date, as well as adding her own set of earrings and a bracelet. She styled her hair down with the sides held back with jeweled clips and thought Erik would be pleased.

It was a quarter to seven when she heard his key in the door and Erik walked in. She'd been seated on the couch staring into the fireplace when he saw her. She looked up at him uncertainly and then stood. He didn't say anything but merely strode into the bedroom. Christine thought about going in to him, but then decided that it might be better for him to break the ice since he'd been the one to leave, and she sat back down.

At seven, Erik came out of the bedroom looking absolutely gorgeous in black with a diamond stickpin. As Christine looked up, she saw him walk over to the counter, but he didn't look at her and she wondered if he was all right. She stood and went over to him.

"Erik?" she said softly.

She couldn't see his face, but she could see that his head was bowed, as though he were sad, or about to break some bad news... When he didn't respond, she became frightened.

"Erik?" she said more urgently, and she pulled on his arm.

He spun and embraced her, surprising her with his sudden show of emotion. He held her tightly for a long moment, not saying anything.

Finally, he spoke. "I love you so much, Christine," he whispered emotionally. "I can't lose you…I just can't…"

Christine was surprised by this. "You can never lose me, my love," she said gently. "Not ever. I love you…and I'm in this for the long haul in case you didn't know…"

He pulled back to look at her, a slow smile appearing on his lips before he kissed her deeply. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she murmured, and then remembered. "I have something for you." She went over to a cabinet and retrieved a beautifully gift-wrapped package. "This is for you," she smiled, and she held it out to him.

"For me?" he asked, surprised. He never expected gifts from anyone.

"I hope you like it." She had found the inn's gift shop during her exploring and had found the perfect gift.

He began to open it carefully and admired the beautiful wrapping. When he opened the package, he saw that it was a beautiful wooden music box, and it had a delicate rose embossed on the lid. It was exquisite, and he could tell that it was expensive. "Darling, you didn't have to do this for me…" he began, knowing she really couldn't afford it.

"Open it," she smiled.

When he opened the lid, the mechanism engaged and began to play _An Overture for Mankind. _It was beautiful, and Erik was overwhelmed. He felt his throat tighten. "Thank you," he whispered hoarsely as he embraced her. "It's beautiful."

As they prepared to go to dinner, Christine retrieved her sweater and evening bag. _Everything is all right again..._

* * *

Megan had just put the finishing touches on her outfit when Amir arrived to pick her up, and he smiled broadly when he saw how beautiful she looked. She wore a short black off-the-shoulder dress that was accented with black sequins, and her hair was in a stylish up-do. 

"You look beautiful, cherie," he murmured as he hugged her tightly. "Let's be on our way."

She grabbed her black shawl and evening bag and they made their way downstairs. When they arrived at the five-star hotel, Amir drove down to the parking garage, and upon parking, they made their way to the elevator that took them four stories beneath the surface to the entrance of _Paladin's. _

Everything was as wonderful and as beautiful as she remembered. Megan checked her shawl at the cloak room, and Amir spoke to the hostess as they entered the main dining room. They were led to an intimate table near the back and they ordered their drinks and then dinner. Amir was pleased to see Megan enjoying herself and was glad to see that she had an appetite. He'd never cared for women who would pick at their food and not enjoy the delicacies he tried to expose them to, but Megan thoroughly enjoyed everything. And when they ordered dessert and shared a dish of raspberry sorbet, Amir was amused to see Megan not only eat the lion's share of it, but also take the decorative cookie and not offer to share it with him.

They relaxed for a few more minutes before Amir paid their bill and then took the elevator that took them down another floor to The Paladin Club.

Megan had always been impressed by the absolute quiet of the anteroom to The Paladin Club. The glass walls were beautiful with the Paladin symbol on each large pane, as well as the heavy rotating glass entrance which turned smoothly into the main hall. Once on the other side, the music was booming, and as Amir spoke to the hostess, they were led to a very nice booth with recessed lighting. They were brought their drinks in short order, and Amir saw that Megan had again ordered a French martini as he ordered a bourbon neat.

Megan loved the techno music and Amir smiled when he looked over and saw her keeping time to the music. He slid smoothly out of the booth and offered his hand. "Would you care to dance?"

She smiled and took his hand and he led her out onto the dimly lit dance floor. They were soon surrounded by a multitude of bodies and caught up in the music, and although it was packed, Megan could feel cool air from the air conditioning units blowing comfortably through the crowd. The music was loud and the crowd exciting, but it was even more so because she was with Amir who not only looked incredible, but was an incredible dancer.

She saw him stare at her intently as he swayed closer, placing his hands on her hips so that they swayed in tandem. She could feel his crotch against her when he unexpectedly took her hand and spun her around so that he was now behind her. Her butt was against him and she could feel his hardened cock pressed against her. She was breathing heavily, but it wasn't due to the music. She leaned her head back onto his shoulder and closed her eyes, feeling him embrace her as they continued swaying. She felt his hands on her hips again, and then they were under her dress. She gasped and her eyes flew open when she felt his fingers slide into her. He was rubbing her clit, bringing all of her nerve endings sinfully alive. She was breathing harder and had begun moving involuntarily to his touching. She felt herself coming dangerously close to losing control… Her only hope was to turn around...out of his reach…

She spun quickly, but he held her fast against him as he swayed and fixed his eyes upon her. She thought she was safe…until she felt his stiffened cock rubbing against her. He was pressed firmly against her crotch as they swayed, and his cock was rubbing against her already sensitized clit, and she could feel herself unraveling. She looked desperately into his eyes and saw him looking back intently, fully aware...

And then it happened… She couldn't stop it for it was out of her control. She held onto him tightly and cried out as she exploded in her orgasm, and he continued to rub against her to prolong it as long as possible. He could feel her shuddering against him, over and over again, her cries and moans only he could hear over the throbbing music. He held her tightly for he wanted to feel her every tremor as she came in his arms, and to hear her mewling cries in the middle of the dance floor amidst this crowd of revelers.

When it was over, she was spent and exhausted, but Amir still embraced her and was helping to hold her up. She looked around wearily from his shoulder, but no one paid any attention to them. There were too many people around to see what was happening. Amir held her and led her from the dance floor back to their booth.

When they returned to their table, Megan held her head in her hands as though trying to gather herself, and she gratefully took a sip of her drink.

"Are you all right, my love?" Amir asked softly.

Megan looked over at him in disbelief, until a slow smile emerged. "That was incredible," she breathed, and she placed a hand on his thigh. "Let's go home."

"As you wish," he smiled.


	80. Vibrations

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers, and a special thank you to my friend and editor, Terri.

Chapter 80

Vibrations

_Saturday evening_

Christine was curious to see where Erik would take her to dinner tonight as they drove through town. She loved dressing for dinner once in awhile for it always seemed special whenever she was with him. It occurred to her that although she'd enjoyed her time with Roan, dressing up for dinner while with him seemed more of a bother than not…not at all how she felt when she was with Erik. Not that Roan wasn't sophisticated in his own way, but because of his youth, he was never as elegant nor as seasoned as Erik.

She looked over at him now behind the wheel and couldn't help but feel a warmth in her heart. She was tied to this man because she wanted to be, for the rest of her life. Erik looked over at her then and smiled gently as he took her hand and squeezed it. "Are you all right, darling?" he asked, and she smiled.

"I'm just perfect," she replied.

They arrived at their destination shortly just as the sun was going down and Erik helped Christine from the car. As she looked around, she was surprised to see that they were at a small train station! There was a beautiful train on the track with six passenger cars waiting to be boarded and Erik took her hand as they walked up to the second car. The conductor smiled warmly as he took their tickets, and Erik helped Christine board. When they entered the car, Christine stopped short and stared before she could take a single step.

They were in an incredibly luxurious dining car reminiscent of the opulence prevalent in rail cars during the turn of the century. There were tables for two to four people on both sides with a wide aisle in the middle. Chairs and windows were dressed in velvet and brocade fabrics, the tables were covered in damask linens and set with silver flatware and crystal stemware, and there were gleaming brass lamps along the length of the car.

"This Pullman Car is similar to the Orient Express that ran in Europe during the early 1900's," Erik murmured as they were met by a waiter, and he led them to one of the tables.

Christine was awed and noticed that even the windows were delicately etched. "It's so beautiful! I've never seen anything like it!"

Erik helped Christine get seated. "This is their evening run and the train will be leaving soon. After dinner, we can go to the observation car and see the scenery by moonlight."

They took their seats, and in a few minutes, Christine could feel the train start to move. She was thrilled, for not only had she never ridden a train before, but she knew she would remember this one for as long as she lived.

As she looked around, Christine noticed there was no one else in the car with them besides the waiter. "Are we the only ones on the train?" she asked, surprised.

Erik looked around and replied, "It looks like we're the only ones in this car, but there are probably others in the other cars because they're each for a different purpose. We'll probably see them after dinner."

The train picked up speed and they saw the city of Napa pass in the night. Erik looked across the table and saw Christine's beautiful smile. She was totally charmed by her surroundings and by the novelty of a luxury train ride, and he was happy to see her enjoying herself.

Their waiter brought them a basket of freshly baked bread and filled their glasses with ice water and their goblets with champagne. They each took a sip and Christine buttered a slice of bread. As she broke off a piece, she asked, "When you left earlier today, where did you go?"

Erik looked out the window briefly before replying. "I went for a drive…to do some thinking."

"Did you come to any conclusions?"

He shook his head. "No."

She wanted to ask him about what happened over lunch and why he felt he needed to leave her for four hours, but she didn't. She knew it had something to do with his mask but that it was still a sensitive subject between them, but at least she knew he still loved her, and that was the most important thing.

In a few moments, their waiter reappeared with a bottle of their local chardonnay and their appetizers: "Lobster and caviar with blinis," he announced.

Christine had eaten caviar before when she was with Rick and loved it, but this was the first time she'd had them with "blinis," which were similar to English muffins, but were thinner and cracker-sized.

Erik picked one up and held it up to her lips. She took a bite and closed her eyes as she tasted the lobster and caviar. It was wonderful. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Erik had eaten the rest of the cracker and also had a smile on his face.

After awhile, their waiter returned to their table with a rolling cart carrying their dinners, which were very attractively prepared, and announced their dishes as he placed them on the table – "Mustard Four Play and Foie Gras and Mushroom Saute."

Christine smiled widely as their plates were set before them. The Mustard Four Play was salmon and lobster prepared with four different types of gourmet mustards and was to die for. The sauteed mushrooms and foie gras, or pureed goose liver, were placed upon a bed of water cress and baby greens with an orange veal essence and was delicious. Dessert was a wonderful chocolate mousse cake with berries.

They had a wonderful time over dinner, talking and laughing about whatever came to mind. Christine sat back in her chair now, full, but not stuffed, and noticed that Erik seemed relaxed as well, the events of the afternoon apparently forgotten. She thought he looked extremely handsome and elegant and she was proud to be seen with him.

When she finished her dessert, Christine thought this might be a good time to freshen up, and so excused herself to walk to the back of the rail car.

As she left him, Erik reached into an inner pocket and removed his cell phone. He hardly ever received any calls, but because he never wanted to be interrupted when he was with Christine, he'd set it to vibrate. He knew he had received calls today, but had ignored them. But he saw now that he'd missed two calls and had one voice mail message. All were from the same party, but the phone number was unfamiliar. He decided to listen to the message and find out who had called him.

"_Hello, Erik? You certainly are a hard one to get ahold of, but I wanted to leave you this message so you'd know I called. This is Michelle. I know it's been a long time, but I wanted to get together again. Please call me back. I'm looking forward to seeing you again. Bye."_

Erik was in shock. _Michelle…what in the world… _After all this time, he was stunned to hear from her…and how had she gotten his number? He closed the phone and replaced it in his pocket just as Christine returned to the table.

She looked at him curiously. "Are you all right, love? You look a little strange."

Erik tried to put the call out of mind and concentrate on the moment. "I'm fine, cherie. Let's go to the viewing car."

With the exception of the voice mail message, Erik was pleased with the evening's progress so far. He stood and pulled Christine's chair out to lead her to another car. She thought it was interesting to walk from one car to another. The car they entered was a circa 1950's domed lounge car for elevated viewing and was every bit as luxurious as the one they had just left. Beautifully appointed velveteen loveseats and swivel high-backed arm chairs lined both sides of the car as did tables of richly polished wood that ran the length of the car. The overhead lights were dimmed to enhance nighttime viewing, and Christine could see that there were other people in the car as well.

Erik led her to one of the plush love seats, and within a few minutes, a waiter approached and took their beverage orders. Christine ordered her usual French martini and Erik ordered a brandy and they settled back in their seats to see the rolling vineyards. Erik draped his arm comfortably around her as she rested her head against his shoulder. It was a perfect evening and the stars in the sky sparkled beautifully as they made their way. The rolling countryside seemed magical in the dark twilight.

Christine seemed thoughtful as she gazed out at the passing countryside. "Do you think Sarah Winchester went mad because of her fear of the spirits?"

Erik considered her question. "I think she was probably predisposed to being superstitious, but I don't think she started to go mad until she lost her baby and husband. Her grief and the prospect of being alone probably sent her over the edge." He felt that he could empathize with Sarah Winchester, for until Christine came into his life, he had felt far removed from the rest of the world as well, except when it came to his music. "Why do you ask, my love?"

"Oh, I don't know. I guess I just felt sorry for her…it was such a sad story."

Erik had to agree. It was very sad, but he'd had a great deal of sadness in his own life and didn't wish to dwell on it tonight.

They had passed numerous vineyards and a few small towns and finally reached the town of St. Helena, which was as far as the train went before it turned around to head back down to Napa.

It had been a wonderful three hours, and it was 10:30 when they pulled back into the station. When they finally disembarked, they walked back to their car and then drove leisurely back to the inn and arrived there in a few minutes. When they were back in their suite, they undressed and prepared for bed. As Christine lay in Erik's arms, she murmured, "Thank you for tonight, my love. I'll never forget it for as long as I live."

Her words warmed him more than anything else could have. "You're welcome, cherie. I'm glad you enjoyed it." After awhile, he asked, "Do you like balloons?"

Christine thought it was a strange question. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

Erik sighed deeply and closed his eyes. "No reason. Goodnight, mon ange."

"Goodnight." Before falling asleep, Christine imagined Erik surprising her with a bouquet of balloons.

It was several minutes before Erik could fall asleep, but when he finally did, his last thought was of Michelle…

_

* * *

_

_Sunday morning_

Megan stirred and opened her eyes. The clock on the night stand said it was 9:00. _That had to be the best night's sleep of my life. _After they'd returned from _The Paladin Club, _they'd made love for hours in practically every room of the apartment until they finally fell asleep exhausted at three in the morning. Before she'd met Amir, Megan had hardly thought herself adventurous, but he was definitely the most exciting boyfriend she'd ever had. As a lover, he was not only spontaneous, but the most daring, hands down.

She turned around to face him and saw that he was on his back, still asleep. She lay her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, and in a few moments, he stirred.

"Good morning, cherie. I love you," he murmured sleepily.

"I love you, too, baby. Are you ready for round two?"

He didn't open his eyes, but smiled. "You're going to wear me out, darling. Let me get my strength back."

They lay quietly for a few moments when Megan had a thought.

"Babe, can you tell me something?"

"What is it, my love?"

"What did you do when you were in Iran?"

Amir lay still. He'd known this was coming, but just hadn't known when. He slowly opened his eyes and gathered his thoughts.

"I was a contractor for the shah."

"What type of contractor?"

"National security. I helped make sure that our enemies didn't succeed."

Megan wondered about that. "So what does that mean? Like you were a spy?"

"You could say that."

She tried to imagine what that meant. Her only model of secret agents and spies were from the movies. "So you were like James Bond."

Amir inadvertently snorted. "No one is like James Bond," he grinned.

"But you kind of did what he did?"

"Kind of."

"Did you ever…kill anybody?" she asked uncertainly.

"Only when it was necessary."

Well, she could certainly understand that. "So, how many times would you say it was necessary?"

"I don't know, I didn't keep count."

Megan couldn't believe that. If _she_ ever killed anyone, she knew she'd never forget it. "You don't even have an estimate?" she asked.

"I guess it'd be in the fifties," he said softly. He thought of Erik then, about when they'd first met and when they'd been partnered. He'd worked for the shah for a number of years before they'd met, but it wasn't until they started working together that they were able to pursue the most elusive and dangerous enemies of the state. And it was during this time that he had committed his most heinous acts in the name of loyalty to his country. Because of this, he'd never deluded himself into believing he could ever forget the past and just live a normal, happy life. No, he could never forget, but he did try very hard by indulging in all manner of diversion before it would catch up to him again. Whereas Erik always had his music, Amir had no such escape, and so he sought solace in the arms of many women, using them as he pleased and then moving on…until Megan. For the first time since leaving Iran, she gave him hope that he could actually be happy in this life. Through her, perhaps happiness wasn't lost to him after all…

Megan was stunned. _He's killed over 50 people! _

Amir noticed her sudden silence. "What are you thinking, my love?"

She was struggling with the knowledge that he'd killed so many and began to recall a foreign movie in which female spies had been mistreated and raped before being killed.

"Have you ever beat up and raped women before killing them?"

He was shocked. _How the hell would she know to ask that? _"Megan, you have to understand that these women were dangerous and they were all killers…none of them were innocent."

"So is that a yes?"

"Yes."

"And Erik was your partner?"

When she spoke, he could tell immediately that she was waging a mental battle. "Yes, he was."

"You were more than just spies, weren't you?" she asked quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"You were assassins, right?"

He stared into her eyes before replying.

"Yes, we were."

Megan lay still for a moment, and then rose from the bed as though she could no longer bear to be near him, and she walked to the bathroom and closed the door.

Amir wondered what was going through her mind. Now that he was certain of his love for her, he'd known he would have to tell her about his past sooner or later, but he wondered if she would be able to accept this part of him, the part that was no longer who he was…

* * *

Megan closed the bathroom door and leaned heavily against the sink. She closed her eyes and tried to take a deep calming breath and wondered, _Is this what Erik told Christine? She's apparently accepted Erik's past, but can I? What will this mean for us now? _

She sat down on the lid of the commode and thought. _I'll always remember how he looked when we first met…and then there was Joanna…then getting back together again. I'll never forget what I was doing when I realized I loved him. Where does this leave us now?_ Looking around the bathroom and not being one to waste time, she decided to at least use this time constructively. She opened the drawers under the sink to see if she could find a new toothbrush. Finding one in the third drawer down, she unwrapped it and then found a tube of French toothpaste. She began to brush her teeth in small circles, the way she'd been taught as a child, as she looked at herself in the mirror. _He was a killer…_

She rinsed her mouth and then searched the drawers for floss, which she found. Removing a length of floss from the dispenser, she began flossing carefully, tooth by tooth, and continued to stare at herself. _I remember the night Amir and Erik were fighting, and I was amazed at their speed and skill. I remember thinking that I'd never seen fighting like that except in movies. And then that night Christine and I tried to follow them, and they accosted us and carried us away. It would have been so easy for them to kidnap us. It all makes sense now…_

Once she finished flossing, she dropped the floss in the small bathroom trash can and began looking for some mouthwash. She found it and poured a little into the cap before upending it and swishing it around her mouth vigorously. She spit it out and rinsed once more before looking into the mirror again…and always in her mind's eye was Amir.

And yet, the strangest thing about it was that she actually _could_ imagine him as a lothario. She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. She'd always thought he was too handsome, too smooth, too charming to be real. And why not? These were the traits that undoubtedly helped him excel at what he did…seducing female operatives, making love to them, maneuvering situations to obtain information, beating them when they resisted, and then killing them when he was through with them. The thought chilled her in one way yet excited her in another. She decided to take a shower.

She started the water and then stepped under the hot stream. The shower stall was large and shell-shaped, making a shower door or curtain unnecessary since the water was confined to the stall. She wet her hair and began to lather it, the hot water feeling wonderful and waking her up. Rinsing out the shampoo, she applied conditioner through her hair and then rinsed it out. She didn't know what brand of shampoo and conditioner Amir used, but she loved the smell and imagined it was French like everything else in the bathroom. She reached for the body wash and began to lather herself. She closed her eyes as she scrubbed and imagined Amir with beautiful but dangerous women…what he must have been like as he beat them, raped them, and then broke them down before killing them…

_This is why he's never been in a relationship before. Could he ever get so angry at me that he'd hit me? _She remembered times when he'd scared her, and took her roughly and unexpectedly, although he'd never hurt her… _Is that why he's never hesitated to just take me whenever he felt like it? Could he ever become so angry at me that he could kill me? He's killed women before…_

She rinsed the soap from her face and wiped the water from her eyes…_and screamed! _Amir was watching her from within the shower, naked, his hands resting on both sides of the enclosure.

"Are you afraid of me now, cherie?" he asked calmly.

Megan's heart was pounding. He'd scared her to death, and she now saw him through new eyes. She wasn't sure of what to say now, or do.

Amir approached her slowly, but Megan was still breathing shallowly. He wrapped his arms around her gently and tried to hold her, but he could feel her stiffen beneath his touch. "I love you," he whispered. "I'd never do anything to hurt you."

She closed her eyes and heard his words. She felt his skin and ran her hands along his back. _This is the man I love, and he loves me. He's not a killer any more…he's a good man…isn't he? _

"Babe?" she said as she pulled away slightly. "When was the last time you killed someone?"

"Nine years ago in Iran. It was necessary for us to escape to the United States."

She closed her eyes and held him tightly to her. He could feel her melt into him, and he was glad. Megan knew it was only a matter of believing in him or not, and she chose to believe him. He was the love of her life, and she knew that that would never change. He wasn't a killer any more, and he loved her. He'd never done anything to frighten her or hurt her, and she knew she would never want to be with anyone else in her life.

"I love you," she whispered.

_Thank you…thank you…_

* * *

Erik and Christine packed their bags and left the inn by 10:30. As they drove away, Christine noticed how much brighter and warmer it was in the Napa Valley as opposed to the coastal city of San Francisco less than an hour away. They passed a surprising number of grapevine-covered hills and Christine wondered just how many workers it took to complete a harvest. In time, they approached a valley where a beautiful hot air balloon could be seen, and Christine was surprised to see they were heading directly for it. This was the first time she'd ever been so close to a hot air balloon and was amazed by the enormity of it. 

"What are we doing here, love?" she asked when they'd finally parked close by.

"The secret to enjoying life is to experience its beauty," Erik smiled as they alighted from the car. "Are you afraid of heights?"

Christine's eyes suddenly became as saucers. "_We're actually going up in this?" _she exclaimed. "Yes, I'm afraid of heights, but I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

Erik took her hand and squeezed it, happy that she was willing to experience a balloon ride despite her fear. They walked up to the balloon where some men were checking the moorings.

"Good morning, Mr. Dupont!" one of them called. "I'm Kevin and I'll be taking you folks up today. Are you ready to go?" he grinned.

"We're ready, let's go!" Erik smiled.

They were led to the large gondola where Kevin took his place at the controls in the middle, and Erik and Christine were assisted on board. Christine was surprised to see seats around the interior of the gondola and was glad they wouldn't have to stand. They were checked to make sure their seatbelts were securely fastened, and the mooring lines were released as Kevin turned up the gas which caused the balloon to rise smoothly.

Christine was excited as she saw the ground fall away beneath them, and she thought it was almost like a carnival ride. They were soon above the valley and they could already see the acres upon acres of vineyards beyond.

Erik saw that Christine had a death grip on the edge of the gondola and asked, "Are you all right, my love?"

Christine turned to him with a broad grin and he could see that she was just excited. "This is great! I never thought I'd ever be in a balloon!"

"Look," he pointed, and Christine followed the direction of his gaze. There, many miles away, was the Pacific Ocean. It was beautiful, and from their vantage point, they could see the entire coastline and the horizon.

When Erik looked at her again, he could see that tears had welled in her eyes and were falling and he became immediately concerned. "What is it, love? What's wrong?"

She didn't look at him, but continued to look at the ocean far away. "I…I never thought it could be so beautiful," she murmured brokenly. "Thank you for showing it to me." She took his hand and kissed him.

Erik smiled. "You're welcome, my love." It warmed his heart to see Christine so moved by the pristine ocean and the silence of the sky. At a thousand feet up, problems and worries seemed far away indeed, and all that remained was the two of them together.

During the hour of their flight, they were taken over vineyards and mountains, lakes and part of the town of Napa until they returned to the field where they were met by the ground crew. Erik was impressed by Kevin's skill at the controls for he knew that it was uncommon for most balloonists to be able to return to the exact point of take off.

When they disembarked, they returned to their car and continued their drive back to San Francisco. From an inner pocket, Erik could feel his phone vibrating again.


	81. Michelle

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers, and a special thank you to my friend and editor, Terri.

Chapter 81

Michelle

_Monday morning_

Erik awoke well rested at seven. He'd had a good night's sleep and happy memories of his weekend with Christine. He wasn't sure he would see her during the week, but knew they would get together again over the weekend. There were a number of ideas he'd had that he wanted to get on paper and develop, so he would most likely be consumed.

He arose and padded into the kitchen to make a light breakfast of juice and toast and sliced a bit of cheese. When he finished eating, he decided to take a quick shower before getting dressed. Perhaps he would go downstairs later and visit with Amir.

After his shower, he walked into his closet to get dressed. He briefly admired the nude of Christine in her mask as he entered the spacious closet. It was a beautiful picture with just the perfect contrast of light and shadow to make it captivating. He wondered if he should take more erotic photographs of her in different poses… He noticed then that his penis had involuntarily begun to stiffen and decided to put that thought on hold for now. Besides, he still had that volume of photographs in his safe that he wanted to surprise Christine with, perhaps on their first anniversary.

He was about to walk into his studio to begin working on his ideas when he decided to check his cell phone. There were two more missed calls from Michelle, but no more voice mail messages. He then walked over to the phone in his study to check for messages. There were a total of six, all from Michelle. _What could she possibly want? Will she go away if I just ignore her? _

He erased the messages and went into his studio.

_

* * *

_

_Tuesday evening_

Icebleu: Good evening, Erik.

EDupont: Who is this?

Icebleu: I trust you've received my messages?

EDupont: Michelle. How did you find me?

Icebleu: You're not exactly hard to find, darling. All I had to do was Google your name and I must have gotten 15 returns.

EDupont: How did you get my phone numbers and e-mail address?

Icebleu: Honestly, Erik, you're the most steadfast person I've ever known. Most people change phone numbers the way they change their hair color. But not you. You have the same phone numbers now that you had years ago when you first shared them with me. And as for your e-mail address, did you know that more people than not use their first initial and last name?

EDupont: So I've heard. What is this about? Why are you contacting me now?

Icebleu: Well, it has been a long time, and I thought it'd be nice to renew our relationship. We do have some unfinished business after all.

EDupont: What are you talking about?

Icebleu: It'd be much better if we could sit across from each other and talk face to face. I'd love to see you again.

EDupont: I don't think so. After all these years, and after everything that's happened, I have no desire to see you again, ever.

Icebleu: But, Erik, darling, can you truly cut me out of your life so easily? I'm a part of you, and you're a part of me, forever. That can never change.

EDupont: Really? Good bye, Michelle.

Icebleu: If you refuse me, Erik, I can almost guarantee that you will regret it for the rest of your life.

EDupont: Why would I?

Icebleu: Please meet with me, Erik, so we can talk. I promise I'll explain everything when I see you.

Erik hesitated. He tried to believe that there was no more connection between them, but what if she was right? What if there truly was something that still needed to be addressed?

EDupont: Very well.

_

* * *

_

_Wednesday noon_

Megan set her tray down at their usual table and was glad to see Christine there. She'd missed her for lunch the last two days, but that wasn't surprising since most of the seniors were spending every free moment rehearsing for the auditions that were fast approaching.

Christine opened a couple packets of sugar and squeezed some lemon into her iced tea and was now stirring her straw around the glass. She smiled as Megan sat across from her. "Hi, how was your weekend?"

"Never a dull moment," she replied as she prepared her own iced tea. "You know, you could've warned me about what the guys did when they were in Iran. It could have saved me from almost going into cardiac arrest."

Christine looked up. "Sorry, but I couldn't tell you, you had to find out yourself so you could make up your own mind on how to handle it…like I did."

"Yes, I guess so. And I guess we both came to the same conclusion. I don't care what he did before. He's not that person any more, and I don't want to lose him. By the way, how's your practicing coming along?"

"Please, I don't even like thinking about it, it makes me too nervous. I do best when I psych myself out and pretend I'm looking at something else while I sing. As long as I don't see the judges, I think I'll be okay. How about you? How are your rehearsals coming?"

"About the same, but it's getting easier the more I practice. Mom's been really helpful, keeping me encouraged and giving me advice. God, I can't believe we only have three weeks left!"

"I think I'm going to be a nervous wreck by the time the auditions get here. I'm really surprised Erik doesn't talk about it more."

"Amir's the same way, he hardly ever mentions it. But it could be because they're used to doing this every year, whereas this is our first time. Did you have a nice weekend?"

Christine smiled. "Yes, for the most part it was wonderful, but it was kind of strange, too."

"How so?"

"Well, we went up to Napa and Erik took me to a hedge maze. That was a lot of fun, and then he took me to dinner aboard a luxury train, which was pretty incredible. And Sunday morning we went on a balloon ride. It was a lot of fun, but on Saturday when we were having lunch, I told him he was the handsomest man I'd ever seen, and he clammed up. He didn't see all the women there turn around to check him out when we walked in, but I did. And when we went back to our room, he decides to leave, but he tells me to be ready for dinner…in four hours!"

Megan stopped, her fork halfway to her mouth. "He left you for four hours?"

"Yes! And he scared me when he got back because he wouldn't even look at me, so I go up to him and he grabs me and tells me he can't lose me. I thought he was going to cry!"

"Wow. So you think it had to do with his mask, huh?"

"Yes, I'm positive. He must think I'll leave him if I see what he really looks like."

Megan could only shake her head. "Gee, how bad could it be? I mean, can you imagine leaving him if it was really_ that _bad?"

"You know, to tell you the truth, I never really thought about it. His mask is so much a part of him that I never really thought about what was underneath. Like you said, how bad could it be?"

They both concentrated on their lunch for awhile, each lost in her own thoughts. Finally, Christine spoke up. "You know, I've seen some pretty awful pictures of people who've been in car accidents, fires, blown up in a war…. It's pretty hard to imagine it being worse than that. And besides, it's still _him. _He'd still be the same person. We've gone through too much together for me to be stuck on his looks." She paused as she tried to get her last thought out without crying. "I…I don't think I can live without him."

Megan looked at her sympathetically and squeezed her hand. She understood perfectly because she felt the same about Amir. He was strikingly handsome, but an accident could take that away in an instant. But she would always love the man he was within…that would never change.

"Do you think Erik will ever show you his face?"

"I don't know, and it really doesn't matter. If he wants to show it to me, then I'd like to see it. But it's not something I have to see if it's not what he wants. It just doesn't matter any more because he's more important to me than just his looks. I just wish he knew that."

"He'll come around in time…trust me. By the way, want to go to Gaston's tomorrow night? We haven't gone out in awhile and I think we're due."

Christine smiled. She'd appreciate a break from her homework and rehearsals. "Okay, I'll meet you there at 7:30."

_

* * *

_

_Thursday evening, Gaston's_

It wasn't as crowded mid-week as it would have been on the weekend, so Christine and Megan were able to be seated at their favorite booth near the bar, which was the most secluded in the entire restaurant. Christine loved being able to go out with Megan once in awhile to catch up on things they didn't have time for during lunch at school. And she especially appreciated the opportunity now when they were both facing the most important challenge of their lives.

When the waitress brought their menus and asked for their drink orders, Megan ordered a glass of ice water with a side of lemon and a Blow Job. Christine cocked her eyebrow and smiled. "I'll have the same, thank you." When the waitress had departed with their orders, Christine asked, "No French Martini tonight?"

"No, not tonight. That's what I order when I'm with Amir, but I want to experiment when I'm with the girls," she smiled.

Their waitress returned a few minutes later with their glasses of water with lemon and drinks on a tray and then took their orders. The Blow Jobs were each served in small shot glasses with the brown liquor on the bottom and a dollop of whipped cream on top. Megan placed her hands behind her back and bent over from the waist to place her lips completely around the shot glass. She then picked it up and upended it, swallowing it completely, but it left a bit of cream on the sides of her mouth. "Your turn," she grinned.

Christine looked at her glass warily and then placed her hands behind her. Bending over, she picked up her glass with her lips and then tilted her head back, swallowing the entire drink cleanly. "Wow, that wasn't bad! I'd have another, but one's my limit when I'm driving."

Megan agreed, so they stuck with their water and lemon through dinner, which was delicious as always. Another thing they both agreed on was that Gaston's dessert selections were every bit as wonderful and varied as their entrees, and Christine decided on their Special Chocolate Pie With Berries, which was their delicious chocolate pie sans crust, while Megan ordered a Banana Sundae.

When their desserts were served, they both admired the beautiful presentation, and were over the moon when they dipped into them.

"Oh my god," Christine raved as she took a bite. "I've died and gone to heaven! This is great!"

Megan was also greatly enjoying her sundae, but then tapped Christine's arm. She looked up from her chocolate pie and followed her gaze into the dining room.

Erik had just entered the room and approached a table where a woman was already seated. She stood with a grin and embraced him tightly, and they exchanged kisses on both cheeks in the European fashion before taking their seats. Christine noticed immediately that the woman was a fashionably dressed brunette as strikingly beautiful as Erik was handsome. Erik's back was turned three-quarters away from them so she couldn't see his face, but the woman seemed very glad to see him.

"What do you think?" Christine wondered, eating her pie much slower now. "Could she be another recruit like Joanna was?"

Megan's eyes were riveted on the woman. "She could be. If she's a college senior, she'd be auditioning with the rest of us instead of coming three weeks early...I'd say she's about 27."

The waitress came by and brought them drinks and appetizers. Apparently they were here to just talk and not have dinner. They noticed the woman occasionally rest her hand on Erik's arm, his hand, and even on his thigh. Christine didn't like the woman's body language. She was obviously attempting to be charming and seductive, but how was Erik reacting to her overtures? It was hard to tell, especially with Erik turned away from them. She couldn't say that Erik was doing anything to encourage the woman's affectionate nature aside from when he first greeted her, but that was out of courtesy…wasn't it?

"Come on, let's go." Christine had seen enough and was now opening her purse to place some money on the table.

"Are you sure?" Megan also reached for her purse.

"Yes. There's nothing more I need to see, and I'm sure it'll come out in time that it was totally innocent." She was actually burning with curiosity and jealousy. She hoped Erik would call her soon, or perhaps he would IM her…

They placed their money on the table and left the restaurant unnoticed. Christine and Megan hugged each other goodbye and promised to keep in touch before getting into their separate cars and driving away.

_

* * *

_

_Friday afternoon_

Christine had gone over to the conservatory to rehearse her audition piece for a few hours and was now done. She was tired, but she felt her voice was strong and able to handle the difficult twists and turns of the melody. The important thing was the difficulty of the piece and its ability to show off her range, and for that, this piece was perfect.

Before heading home, she decided to stop by the Phil's gift shop to see what new wares had come in. Unless it was to purchase something specific, like her audition outfit, Christine was satisfied coming to the gift shop to purchase small pieces of jewelry and accessories rather than go to the mall and have to fight traffic and crowds.

She parked in the Phil's parking garage and then made her way down the elevator to the lobby and then to the gift shop. As usual, there were only a few people in the shop and she was able to look over the entire jewelry counter in peace. She did see a number of new pieces, and though most were out of her price range, she spied a gold bracelet that seemed to call out to her, and she tried it on. It was a simple chain bracelet, but it would be perfect for everyday wear, and she decided to purchase it. She winced at the $25 price tag, but the fact that it was a good quality bracelet justified it in her mind.

She smiled to herself and was about to take it up to the counter when she happened to look to her right. A woman who was just coming into the lobby looked familiar when Christine suddenly realized that it was the same woman she'd seen with Erik at Gaston's last night. _What is she doing here? _Just then, an elevator door opened on the far side of the lobby and Erik stepped out. He smiled as he approached the woman and they embraced each other in greeting and then shared a quick kiss on the lips before walking back to the elevator together, his arm around her waist.

"May I help you?"

Christine turned.

"Are you ready?" the sales clerk asked kindly.

Christine suddenly realized she'd been standing in front of the jewelry counter for several minutes and hadn't moved.

"Yes, I'm ready. I'll take this bracelet." She paid for her purchase and walked back to the parking garage, but she was stunned. She drove home slowly because her concentration was not on her driving. _Who was that woman? What is she to him? He kissed her…and then he took her up to his apartment! Will he tell me about this?_

By the time she returned home and walked into her apartment, she was worried to distraction. Pinecone looked up from her place in the middle of the bed and meowed sympathetically as Christine changed into lounging attire.

"You understand how I feel, don't you, baby?" she asked as she scratched Pinecone behind her ears, and she purred contentedly. Christine then began to scratch Pinecone's stomach, and she was in kitty heaven.

Before she knew it, she had laid down next to Pinecone and fallen asleep.

_

* * *

_

_Friday evening_

When she awoke, Christine turned on her lamp and looked over at the clock on her nightstand and was surprised to see that it was already 8:00, which meant she most likely wouldn't be able to sleep tonight until much later. She got up and decided to make something to eat, but first filled Pinecone's dish with her favorite flavor of cat food.

Opening the pantry, Christine decided to have some soup and reached for a can of tomato soup. As she heated it in a small saucepan, she again thought about seeing Erik and that woman this afternoon. Just remembering how he had warmly embraced her and then kissed her filled her heart with dread. _But Erik loves me! How can he do this? What does this mean now? _

She poured the steaming soup into a bowl and placed it on the table along with a glass of ice water and a few saltines. She really wasn't hungry but knew she'd be starving later if she didn't have something. Then another thought came to mind, one she'd tried to banish earlier but which invariably pushed its way to the forefront: _Has he slept with her yet? _

Christine closed her eyes. She didn't even want to consider it…she couldn't. She needed an answer, and so she tried to think of one as she slowly ate her soup.

When she finished eating, she cleaned her dish and saucepan and went to her bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed, and seeing the framed picture she kept on her nightstand next to the lamp, she picked it up now and looked at it. It was her favorite one of them together, taken when they were on the island, and they were lying in the hammock. That was the most perfect day….

She felt the pain in her heart again as she looked at it, considering what was happening to them now, and she thought to herself, _I love you so much…_ Then gradually, through word association, she began to think about what that really meant…

_What does it mean to really love someone? Genuine love means it's reciprocal, that he loves me as much as I love him. I thought he did love me…_

And then she seemed to remember something she'd said months ago…_You can't love me if you don't trust me! _

_Trust…love means trust... _But after what she'd seen today, how could she ever trust him again?

_WAIT! JUST WAIT! _

Something wasn't right and she knew it. She was skipping over something important and her conscience was telling her not to make another mistake. She already knew in her heart that they couldn't survive another major misunderstanding. She had to be absolutely sure of what she was feeling.

They'd had misunderstandings before because they hadn't been forthcoming with the truth. They'd both been guilty of jumping to conclusions instead of first talking it over. If they'd done that from the beginning, they never would have broken up…twice.

_That's the answer! Until we talk about what's going on, I have to trust him. Until he tells me himself that it's over, I have to believe he still loves me._

She knew she was on the right track, because for the first time since seeing them this afternoon, she felt better, as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She wouldn't ask him about it directly, but she would trust him to bring it up himself and explain it to her. And for the first time this evening, she smiled.

She looked at the clock and was surprised to see that it was 10:00! She'd been sitting here pondering this for an hour and a half, but at least she did arrive at an answer. She wondered if Erik would be online now. She brought her laptop to the bed and signed on. It took a few moments for her screen to pop up, but when it did, she saw that he was indeed online. He would normally IM her soon after she would sign on, but when he didn't, she decided to pop in a movie and wait for him.

And while she waited, another thought came unbidden…_is he really working on the computer, or is he IM'ing with someone else?_

* * *

The credits were rolling when the movie ended two hours later. Christine took the DVD out of the player and was about to turn off the computer and go to bed when the instant message window popped up. 

EDupont: Good evening, my love. Up late tonight?

AriaMaven: Yes, I was watching a movie. How have you been?

EDupont: Very busy. And I imagine you've been busy with rehearsals.

AriaMaven: I have. I'll be glad when it's over.

EDupont: I've missed you. Would you like to spend Saturday night here?

AriaMaven: I'd love to. Would you like me to bring anything over?

EDupont: Just yourself, darling. I'll pick you up at eight. Can you swim?

AriaMaven: Yes, I can swim, but I haven't in a long time. It's kind of hard to do here in San Francisco. Why do you ask?

EDupont: Just curious.

AriaMaven: Can you swim?

EDupont: Yes, I can swim, but like horseback riding, it's not something I usually have time for. Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow evening at eight.

AriaMaven: Yes, I'll be ready.

EDupont: I look forward to it. Good night, mon ange. I love you.

AriaMaven: I love you, too, sweetheart. Good night.

She turned off her laptop and then changed into an oversized tee shirt. As she brushed her teeth and flossed, she thought about how normal Erik sounded. He told her he loved her, but he didn't mention anything about that woman. _Why not? _

She pondered over this as she snuggled under the covers and then realized that he might want to tell her in person. _Yes, that makes sense. Of course he'd want to tell me about her in person. _

Once that was settled, she was able to calm herself and relax. And in a few minutes, she was asleep.

_

* * *

_

_Saturday evening_

Christine was in a happy frame of mind when Erik picked her up at eight. She'd only brought a tote bag of clothes and supplies to spend the night and Erik put this in his bedroom. He was very glad to see her and kissed her deeply. He was sorely tempted to push her down on the bed and take her right then, but he didn't.

"I'm so glad you're here, darling. I've missed you all week," he murmured.

"I've missed you, too." It felt so good to be in his arms again, and she could feel his hardness. _He really did miss me._

"I love you, Christine," he whispered as he kissed her again. He pulled away slightly and smiled. "I've got a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" Christine loved his surprises, but was surprised when he led her to the elevator on the far side of the living room and then descended below the parking garage. She didn't know there was anything below the parking level and wondered if it would be a basement or storage area. When the elevator stopped and the doors parted, she stared in awe at the sight before her.

It was a spacious room with an underground swimming pool. The large pool shimmered with beautiful blue and green tile, and the room was lit with muted wall sconces and candles in tall candle holders. There was a low covered table near the edge of the pool, as well as thick towels and robes nearby for their use.

Christine could imagine this room being in the pages of Architectural Digest or Town and Country, and like the vehicles in the parking garage above, was no doubt for the exclusive use of the resident composer and musical director. It was just beautiful.

"Care for a swim?" Erik asked playfully.

"But I didn't bring a swimsuit," she said disappointed.

"Well, we mustn't let that stop us," he said softly, and he began to undress her. When she was completely naked, Erik looked at her appreciatively. Christine would normally have been embarrassed to be looked at in this manner for she never felt her body was beautiful, not like Megan's dancer's body, but at least she was slender and had good posture. But to Erik's mind, she was perfect, and he ran his hands along her breasts, his thumbs gently rubbing her nipples, and he took one in his mouth.

Christine breathed in sharply and then closed her eyes. All of her nerve endings had come alive, and now he had brought his hand down between her legs and was feeling her wetness. Christine reached out and began to stroke him through his trousers, and Erik proceeded to undress himself.

Christine slipped into the pool from the edge. It'd actually been years since she'd been swimming, but she loved the warm water and she swam from one end of the pool to the other. Erik sat on the edge to watch her, admiring her form smoothly slicing through the water like a mermaid. When she returned to the side of the pool, she bobbed up happily and approached him. Gazing up at him, she smiled and whispered "I love you" before reaching for him and taking him into her mouth.

Erik moaned from the pleasure of it. Her moist lips felt amazing, and his already rock hard shaft grew even harder as her warm tongue glided over its length. He was leaning back on his hands and had thrown back his head. He knew he was close to coming, but he wanted to be inside of her…he'd been waiting for this all week.

He slipped into the pool and lifted Christine against the side so he could impale her, which he did easily. She wrapped her legs around him and held him tightly as he pumped into her repeatedly, the warm water adding another dimension to their lovemaking. He stiffened as he came, groaning as he released his sperm into her, and she moaned against him. He held her for awhile until his breathing slowed.

He surprised her by lifting her up and laying her back in the water so he could place himself between her legs. Christine spread her arms to the side so she could hold onto the pool as Erik buried his face between her thighs. The feeling was incredible, and she literally floated as he feasted upon her. The warm water greatly enhanced the sensations now coursing through her body, and when she came, she cried out loudly as she spasmed violently, thrashing in the water as Erik continued to stimulate her. Her voice echoed in the vast chamber, the sound of splashing a sensuous symphony. It was a full thirty seconds of rapture before Christine finally calmed and Erik lifted his head.

When they had both recovered, Erik swam to the other side of the pool. This was the first time she had seen him swim, and she admired his graceful style. She pushed off from the side and swam to the middle. After about fifteen minutes of being in the water, they paused near the side with the low table.

"Are you hungry, darling?" Erik asked, and he uncovered the table revealing an attractively prepared spread of various appetizers along with plates, forks, and cloth napkins. She eyed the beverage which stood in a chilled carafe and briefly worried about becoming tipsy while swimming. But as he poured it into a goblet for her, she was pleased to find that it was sparkling cider.

It was fun and novel eating by the side of the pool. The canapés were delicious and Christine enjoyed everything. And when they were done, it was nice to lie back in the water and just float.

By the time they were through swimming and left the pool, Erik handed Christine one of the towels and she immediately noticed its plushness. _This has to be the thickest towel I've ever used. _And then he helped her into an equally plush terry robe.

"Can I help you get the food upstairs?" she offered.

"Thank you, you may," he smiled, and he rolled over a cart in which they placed everything, and then made their way back up to the apartment.

Erik placed the food in plastic containers and stacked them neatly in the refrigerator. "These will make great leftovers."

Christine had to agree, and she was warmed by the fact that even Erik Dupont enjoyed leftovers from time to time. Before this, she couldn't imagine him eating anything that wasn't freshly prepared.

As he stored the food away, Christine helped by rinsing the dishes and placing them in the dishwasher. This made for quick work, and when they were done, they took a shower where Christine had the pleasure of having Erik wash and condition her hair. It was a luxurious experience, her favorite part being when he massaged her scalp. It was incredibly sensuous, and she felt it down to her toes.

When they exited the shower and dried off, Christine towel dried and then blow-dried her hair in the nude while Erik waited for her in the bedroom as he turned on his laptop. Christine took extra care to make sure her hair looked just right and applied just a bit of makeup since they'd be going to bed soon. Although most of it would probably be rubbed off as she slept, at least she would look her best when they said goodnight.

She was done in about a half hour, and when she came into the bedroom, Erik was just closing his laptop. Noticing his serious demeanor, she asked, "What's going on in the news? Did something bad happen?"

He looked up. "No, just the usual: war, murder, storms." And then he smiled, though she thought it might have been a bit forced. "You look beautiful, my love."

She laid on the bed facing him and smiled. "You do, too, love," and she reached out to take hold of his member as he watched her.

"You keep that up and you'll have to pay the piper," he warned.

"Well, it just so happens I love the piper," she said softly, and she lowered herself in the bed and took him between her lips and into her mouth. She felt his fingers run through her curls as he held her head in place, and she heard him sigh. His cock began to respond and swell, but she could tell that something wasn't right. When she pulled herself up, she saw that Erik had laid his head down and closed his eyes. "What's the matter?" she asked gently, and she wondered if he would tell her now about the woman.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. "I love you, Christine. I don't ever want anything to come between us again."

She wondered what he was really trying to say. "What do you mean? After everything we've been through, what could come between us now?"

He looked at her briefly before replying, "Nothing. Let's get under the covers and go to sleep."

And so they pulled the covers over themselves as they prepared to sleep, and as usual, Erik placed his arm possessively around her, which is how she liked it. There was apparently going to be no further discussion about anything tonight. Christine was disappointed, but there was always tomorrow…

_

* * *

_

_Sunday evening, Fong's Chinese Restaurant_

They'd had a pleasant Sunday morning and a very loving afternoon, and they were now having dinner at Fong's. Christine was surprised when Erik mentioned they would be coming here, but she loved it, both the food and the ambiance.

As they neared the end of their meal, Christine felt a strange undercurrent of tension and wondered if it was her imagination. She wouldn't have noticed at all if she wasn't as sensitive to Erik's emotional state, but she knew this was only because she loved him. He was probably just as aware of her emotions at any given time as well due to his own love for her. "Are you all right, my love?" she asked.

Erik looked over as though he'd been lost in thought. "Yes, I'm fine. Did you enjoy your dinner?"

"Yes, I loved it. Thank you for this weekend, I had a wonderful time."

Erik smiled and kissed her. After paying for dinner, they left and walked the five minutes to Christine's apartment. When they were at her door, she asked if he'd like to come in.

"No, thank you, I should be getting home. But I loved having you with me this weekend. I'll call you later this week, my love."

"Okay, I'll look forward to it. I love you."

"I love you, too, cherie," and he kissed her goodnight.

Christine closed the door behind her, but wondered, _Did I feel something when he kissed me, like there was something wrong? Or did I just imagine it again? _

She locked her door and walked into the bedroom as Pinecone looked up sleepily.

"Hi, baby! How's my Pinecone?" She rubbed her stomach and Pinecone looked at her as if to say, _I was doing just fine before you woke me up, _and ignored her mistress as she laid her head down again to sleep. "Stupid cat," Christine murmured when she saw all the attention she would receive.

She undressed and donned her sleep shirt before walking into the bathroom to brush and floss. _Only two more weeks until the auditions! _She felt herself becoming nauseous and quickly put it out of her mind. The next two weeks would mean putting in more hours to practice. When she finished flossing, she rinsed with mouthwash and returned to the bedroom.

She was about to crawl into bed when she realized something was missing…she'd left her tote bag full of clothes and her extra make-up bag at Erik's. She decided she would pick it up in the morning on her way to school.

She climbed into bed and turned out the lamp. She was feeling very good. She'd had a wonderful weekend with Erik and he loved her. She loved him and trusted him, and knew that nothing could ever come between them again…

_

* * *

_

_Monday morning_

Christine awoke rested, but nervous, and she knew why. The next two weeks would be horrendous, but at least she wouldn't be the only one feeling this way. She'd heard of people throwing up and fainting before the auditions and had laughed at the stories when she was an underclassman, but now as a senior, she had all the understanding in the world as to how that could happen.

She arose and went to the bathroom to get ready and then returned to change into something comfortable. She went into the kitchen to fix something for breakfast, but then found she couldn't eat even if she wanted to because she was too nervous. She decided to just leave and pick up her tote bag from Erik's before heading off to school.

* * *

When she arrived at the Phil's parking structure, her stomach was still in knots. _Am I going to feel this way for two weeks? _She held her stomach as she took the elevator down to the lobby and then another elevator up to the sixth floor. She knocked lightly, hoping Erik was already up. In a few moments the door opened and Christine froze. 

It was the woman from Gaston's, and she was obviously naked under her short silk robe.


	82. A Situation

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers, and a special thank you to my friend and editor, Terri.

Chapter 82

A Situation

_Monday morning_

Christine stood frozen. It was the woman from Gaston's, and she had answered Erik's door.

The woman was barefoot but wore a beautiful white silk robe that was barely long enough to cover her torso. It was loosely tied around her small waist and her nipples were outlined prominently through the silk fabric. Her eyes were a beautiful light brown, and her hair a gorgeous mane of dark auburn. _She must be a performer, _Christine thought.

"May I help you?" she asked when Christine didn't speak.

The woman's voice was refined and beautiful, and Christine thought she picked up a hint of a French accent. In her shock, Christine opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come.

"Just a moment," she said, and she closed the door partially to disappear back into the apartment.

Christine was stunned. _Why is a beautiful, half-naked woman in Erik's apartment? Isn't it obvious? But this doesn't make sense!_ _He told me he loved me just last night! _

She tried to take a deep breath and think through the chaos. _I said I would trust him because I love him. If he really loves me, then why is he doing this? There must be a reason…yes, he has a reason…_

The door opened then and it was obvious that Erik was shocked to see her. He stepped out of his apartment and closed the door behind him so they could have some privacy. She saw that he was in a silk robe as well, and naked underneath.

"Christine…" he began.

"_Erik, what the FUCK is going on!" _she whispered loudly. She didn't want to make a scene or behave hysterically, but it was very difficult since what she wanted to do was scream at the top of her lungs.

"Christine, why are you here?" he asked calmly. He didn't touch her and he kept his distance, and Christine could tell that he had brought down the wall that concealed his emotions.

"I…I left my tote bag and my make-up bag in your bedroom," she stammered.

Erik re-entered his apartment, and a few moments later, came back out with her tote bag with the make-up bag in it, and again closed the door behind him as he handed it to her. "Christine," he said softly, "I'm sorry you had to see her. It's not what it looks like, but I can't explain now. I have to ask you to trust me until this is over. Please trust me, Christine."

"Do you love me?" she asked, her voice quivering.

"With all my heart. Goodbye, Christine." With that, he re-entered his apartment and closed the door.

Christine stood there, stunned, before finally turning towards the elevator and making her way down to her car.

_

* * *

_

_Wednesday noon_

Christine was glad to see Megan making her way over to their table. She hadn't seen her in a couple days and needed to talk to her. She was pouring hot sauce over her taco by the time Megan set down her tray.

"Hi, sweetie, how've you been?" Megan asked as she took her seat across from her.

Christine shook her head. "You know, it's just one thing after another."

"What do you mean?"

"I went over to Erik's Monday morning to pick up a tote bag I'd left there. It's a little after 7:30, and guess who answers the door?"

"Who? …Oh, no…tell me you're kidding."

"Right, that woman Erik was sitting with at Gaston's, and she was wearing this tiny robe and nothing underneath! You could even see the outline of her nipples through the fabric! If you thought she was beautiful at Gaston's, you should have seen her that morning."

Megan couldn't believe it. "What the hell does Erik think he's doing? Did you get a chance to talk to him?"

"I sure did. He said he couldn't explain it to me until it was all over, but that it wasn't what it looked like; and he asked me to trust him. I asked him if he loved me and he said he did."

"So what do you think? What are you going to do now?"

"There's nothing I _can _do now, but wait. He said he loves me and I believe him. I just have to trust that he's got a reason for doing this, and when it's over, that he'll explain it to me."

Megan couldn't believe this turn of events. "This is too weird. Did he at least say how long it would take?"

Christine shook her head. "No, he didn't. I'll just have to wait." She paused. "I wonder if he's slept with her? It seems kind of obvious at this point."

"If he has, then what?"

"I don't know. But I want to believe that it was because of something he had to do. I want to believe that it was because he had no choice. I guess it would depend on what he says his reasons were. What do you think?"

Megan tried to imagine herself in Christine's position. "It's kind of hard to say, but you know it'd have to be pretty serious for him to place himself in this situation because he knows he could lose you. At this point I'd say he probably felt he didn't have a choice but to play it out. I can't believe he'd ever do anything to risk losing you again unless he had no choice."

Christine had to agree. "I think you're right. But why couldn't he explain it to me so I wouldn't be trying to second guess what's going on? He must know this is going to drive me crazy!"

"The only thing I can think of is that he wanted to protect you. This was obviously something that didn't involve you and he wanted to keep you out of it."

"Do you think it could be something dangerous?"

"There's no way to know if he doesn't tell you."

Christine had finished her taco and was now sipping her iced tea as she thought about her options. "I'm not going to lose him again. No matter what happens, I'll still be here when he wants to talk about it."

Megan looked at her wristwatch and saw that lunch was almost over. "I'll see Amir this weekend. He's taking me to the San Francisco Jazz Festival, so I'll ask him about it. Maybe he'll know what's going on."

Lunch was over and they returned their trays and made their way to their next class, but Christine's mind was not on the lecture.

_

* * *

_

_Saturday afternoon_

Christine awoke from her nap and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes as she ran her fingers along Pinecone's fur. She'd gone over to the conservatory this morning for a few hours to practice and had found all the rehearsal rooms full, but had fortunately arrived just as someone else was leaving. When she returned home, she made a light lunch before taking a nap. She hadn't heard from Erik all week, and she'd tried to keep busy, knowing that if she didn't, she'd go crazy imagining him with that woman. She'd seen posters all over town advertising the Jazz Festival today at the Bay Area Bowl and considered attending to help keep busy. She didn't have anyone to go with, but didn't want to call either Roan or Rick, and she didn't really have any close girlfriends other than Megan. Since it would just be a matter of sitting in the stands and listening to music, she decided she could handle attending by herself. It was a safe enough venue and she'd probably even have a good time.

Due to the number of artists scheduled to perform, the Jazz Festival began at 1:00 in the afternoon and would end at 11:00 in the evening. Working under the assumption that the best would be saved for last, Christine began getting ready around 5:30 and dressed comfortably in a plush pastel pullover sweater, jeans, and mid-heel boots. She wore her hair down, but held back with colorful pins, and grabbed a jacket since it would be chilly as the evening wore on. She left her apartment around six and arrived at the Bay Area Bowl in fifteen minutes.

As she parked her car under the direction of the parking attendants, she saw the parking area already filled to capacity with many people still queuing up to purchase tickets. When she had her ticket in hand, she went over to one of the concession booths to purchase a bottle of water before finding a seat. After paying $4 for her water, she began to make her way down to the seating area and was glad to see she'd arrived while they were taking a break.

Christine had been here a few times before and had always enjoyed this outdoor venue. The acoustics were very good, and from the mid-level, stone steps led up and down to seats made of sturdy wooden benches which rose up concentrically in an almost half-circle around the stage. There was enough seating for a few thousand people, and it was very enjoyable watching a performance under the stars.

She was about to make her way down the steps to find seating when she heard her name called behind her.

"Christine!"

She turned and was surprised to see Rick! She smiled broadly and they embraced immediately, glad to see one another.

"Rick, it's so good to see you! It's been ages!" Christine beamed.

"Yes, it has. You look wonderful, Christine," he smiled. "Are you here with Erik?"

Her smile faltered momentarily before she recovered and replied, "No, I'm here by myself tonight. What about you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Here, let me introduce you," he said apologetically, and he stepped aside and brought his date forward from behind him. "Christine, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Joanna."

Christine's smile fell immediately as she stared at the woman who had tried to take Erik from her not so long ago, and Joanna seemed just as surprised to see her.

"I believe we're already acquainted," Joanna said without extending her hand.

Christine stared, noticing that she was still as beautiful as ever. "Yes, we are," she said unemotionally. And returning her gaze back to Rick, smiled again. "It's so good to see you, Rick. I hope we can get together again sometime. I'd better go and find a seat before all the good ones disappear."

They hugged again briefly and said their goodbyes, Christine deliberately ignoring Joanna as she walked away and made her way down the steps.

_I could sure have done without seeing her again in this lifetime, _Christine thought angrily, but then forced herself to forget about her before it ruined her evening. As she walked down the stone steps, making her way gingerly through groups of people milling around before the next set, she finally made her way to a center seat about halfway down the orchestra section. One thing she really liked about this venue was the stadium-type seating which precluded anyone from being bothered by heads in front of them.

There were still a few minutes before the and of the break, so she relaxed in her seat and sipped her water as she enjoyed the slowly descending evening and people-watched. There were people on stage checking the equipment and many people still milling about. When she looked to her far right, she saw Alex and Juan seated together, Juan with his arm draped behind Alex. Alex saw her at the same time and they waved at each other, Juan waving as well when he realized that she was Alex's friend, and she smiled at both of them. She was glad that Alex and Juan were together and that Megan was back with Amir. It warmed her heart to know that her friends were happy.

She was staring at the activity still going on on stage when she was surprised by someone sitting next to her and placing their hand on her arm.

"Christine, I didn't know you were going to be here! Amir and I are sitting right over there." Megan pointed to an area several rows in front of her. "Come on over and sit with us!"

"Thanks, but I'm really okay right here. I'll be fine. You'd better get back because it's going to start soon."

The lights around the seating area flickered off and on a couple times to signal the end of the break and Megan hurried back to her seat. Christine turned her attention to the stage as the music began again, and as she looked at her program, was pleased to see a number of familiar names who would be performing this evening.

The program was wonderful and Christine was having a great time. She found herself smiling as she heard her favorite jazz numbers being played and bobbed in time to the music. Intermission was called two hours into the program and Christine stood to make her way over to one of the ladies rooms, which she was sure would have a line, as most ladies rooms did at these events. Several minutes later, Christine stood in line at a food booth to purchase a soda and a hot dog, to which she added her choice of condiments. This was her dinner and she ate it quickly before returning to her seat as the concert was about to begin again.

When the music kicked off, people were still returning from intermission, but the liveliness of the music seemed to encourage everyone to get seated quickly so they could get on with the program, and it seemed to work. During the evening program, hardly anyone could be seen not reacting to the lively music, and with another two hours yet to go, many had begun to dance in an open area in front of the stage as the music of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Lionel Hampton among others were played one after another.

Christine was greatly enjoying watching people dance and spotted Megan and Amir among those who were now dancing to a lively piece by Count Basie, and she smiled as she watched them. The music was hotter and even more infectious as the concert entered its last half hour, and the dance floor was now crowded to overflowing. Many had stood to get a better view of the dance floor from their seats or were dancing in place as the music continued, and Christine had stood to get a better view as well.

One couple danced particularly well together, and when enough people had moved so she could see them clearly, Christine was shocked to see that it was Erik and that woman! She looked beautiful in her outfit with her hair down, and Christine felt an immediate spike of anger and jealousy. They looked to be having a wonderful time, and as the dance ended, they returned to their seats near the front of the stage.

As the festival came to a close at eleven, the emcee came forward to thank the performers and stage crew, and then thanked the crowd for their attendance and bade them goodnight and a safe trip home. Christine stood along with everyone else as they made their slow sojourn out of the Bowl and towards the parking area. It was a wonderful concert and Christine was glad she'd come. Although she had acknowledged the possibility that Erik would be there, she certainly hadn't expected to see him with that woman, much less dancing with her.

As she left the Bowl and began making her way towards the lighted parking area, she saw Erik and the woman return to their car, the Ferrari, which was parked near the entrance in the VIP section. The woman had seated herself in the passenger side of the car as Erik closed her door, and when he looked up, he saw Christine and froze. Christine's heart leapt as she stared at him. He looked so wonderful, and she wanted to run and throw herself into his arms. But after a brief moment, he broke eye contact and entered his car, pulled out of his parking spot and made his way out of the grounds. Christine stared until the car was out of sight. She felt hurt, and after seeing them from a distance, she also felt abandoned. She could imagine them going out now for a late-night dinner while she returned home to her cat. She continued to walk towards the area where she had parked, feeling truly alone…

_

* * *

_

_Sunday night_

Erik lay awake in his darkened bedroom, staring up at the ceiling and listening to whatever sounds drifted up from outside. It was actual 2:00 Monday morning, but he still couldn't sleep. The look of shock on Christine's face yesterday after the concert played over and over in his mind. He knew how it must have looked, it was written plainly on her face.

S_he asked me if I loved her. I love her more than life…does she know that? Damn Michelle for coming back into my life now! And yet…it wasn't her fault that it had to be now…_

He wondered what was on Christine's mind. Her audition is a week from Monday. Will this affect her performance? He knew he couldn't take a chance with Michelle because she was too unpredictable. It'd been a week since he last saw Christine, but he had to stay away from her until this whole thing was over for her own sake, and he hadn't told her anything nor given any clue as to what was going on. And from all appearances, he'd betrayed her. Did Christine believe that he had? Would she leave him?

He ran his hands through his hair in frustration and climbed out of bed. Sleep was impossible now. Anubis had no such worries and continued to sleep peacefully on the other side of the bed as Erik tied his robe around himself. He walked to his study and turned on the desk lamp which cast a soft light. He pulled out a sheet of paper and an envelope and began to write…

_

* * *

_

_Monday afternoon_

Christine drove home from school, tired after another marathon session of practicing her vocals. Every senior performance major seemed crazed in the course of rehearsing their vocals selection, dance piece, instrumental, or dramatic reading knowing that the lost sleep and long hours of practice were more than worthwhile if they were chosen to become part of the world famous San Francisco Philharmonic. Christine had faithfully kept to her practice schedule and tried to purge her mind of everything that could keep her from excelling at the audition. She thought of Erik each and every day and night, but despite her anxiety over him and the woman and her nervousness over the audition, she couldn't let herself be distracted from what she knew could mean her future. Historically, less than five percent of those auditioning in each area would make the cut, literally the cream of the crop. But she was determined to be ready by next Saturday come hell or high water.

She walked up the steps to her apartment and smiled when she heard Pinecone meowing on the other side of the door. She wanted to do nothing more this afternoon than take a relaxing shower and a nap before preparing dinner.

When she stepped into her apartment, she saw the cream-colored envelope which had been pushed under her door and knew immediately that it was from Erik.

Both elated and afraid, she picked it up nervously and walked into her bedroom, dropping her books and purse into a chair. Out of habit, she held the envelope up to her nose and breathed in Erik's signature fragrance: Le Fantôme. She closed her eyes and took delight in this reminder of him before opening the letter and receiving what could potentially be devastating news.

She looked at her name on the envelope, which was inscribed in his beautiful hand. She'd always admired his handwriting because skillful penmanship was now, for the most part, a lost art. She turned the envelope over and saw it sealed with his red wax D. She carefully lifted the seal so as not to tear the envelope and wondered when he'd delivered it. It'd been a long time since she'd received a letter from him and she smiled as she recalled that he used to hide in the supply closet down the hall when he used to place roses on her doorstep. This was before they'd met. She wondered if he could be in the supply closet now…but she knew he wasn't.

She took the letter from the envelope and unfolded it.

_Christine, my love,_

_I miss you. It has been over a week, yet it seems so much longer since we have been together. The current situation comes at a most inopportune time for I had hoped to be with you to encourage you as you go into your audition. Though I cannot encourage you with my presence, please know that I am with you always in heart and in mind. My love and thoughts are with you always._

_Christine, please know and believe that I love you and you alone. No matter what may happen in the coming days or weeks, please be assured of this. It is possible you may be contacted by Michelle, the woman you saw me with after the concert. She is aware that you hold a special place in my life and so may attempt to speak with you. You must not allow any communication with her. _

_I long for this matter to be ended so I may hold you in my arms again, my darling. Until then, know that you are in my heart and mind always and that I will be watching your audition from the shadows._

_My love forever,_

_Erik_

When she finished reading the letter, Christine looked at the beautifully inscribed words, and then at Erik's signature. Although he didn't tell her what was going on, he told her what she needed to hear…that he still loved her. She read it again and wondered about this Michelle. _What is she to him? _Erik told her not to allow any communication with her. _This is the first time he's ever told me what to do. He's trying to protect me. _And she knew now that he _would _be at her audition! This lifted her spirits more than anything else had in over a week. She felt a new vitality now, knowing that Erik would be there watching her, sending her his thoughts of love. Now she could sing her heart out and know that she was singing to him…in the shadows…

She smiled as she arose from the bed and placed the letter on her dresser as she prepared to take a shower. Everything was going to be all right.

_

* * *

_

_Wednesday evening_

Erik sipped his drink and gazed into the fire. "Michelle's here."

Amir looked at him from the other end of the couch. "I heard, only I didn't know it was her when Megan told me about it."

"Christine came by last week before I'd gotten up when Michelle was spending the night, and she opened the door. She was just wearing a short robe and nothing else."

Amir picked up his glass and took a sip. "Megan mentioned that Christine was a little upset."

"She saw us at the Jazz Festival, too. I wrote her a letter and told her not to talk to Michelle if she tried to contact her."

"Do you think she'd actually try to talk to Christine?"

"She may if she doesn't get what she wants."

"What does she want?

Erik emptied his glass and set it on the table. "About what you'd expect."

"Do you know what you want to do?"

"I think so."

"How are you holding up?"

"I don't like being away from Christine this long, but I hope to be finished with this business in a week or two."

"You're a good man, mon ami. Much better than I am."

"Not if you knew what I was thinking."

"Megan said that Christine's waiting for you, and that she'd be there until this is over."

Erik stood and walked over to the window. He closed his eyes and covered his face.


	83. Auditions

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers, and a special thank you to my friend and editor, Terri.

Chapter 83

Auditions

_Friday afternoon_

Christine returned home from the conservatory exhausted. It was three days before the audition and she was pleased with her progress. Her voice was strong and in the best shape it had ever been. She was confident in her ability and that she would do her best come Monday. While at the conservatory she'd stopped in to see Megan rehearse in one of the dance studios and was amazed. Her form and execution were flawless, and her routine was dazzling. Christine felt that it would be impossible for the Phil not to recruit a dancer of Megan's caliber.

She dropped her purse and books in a chair and immediately went to take a shower. Erik was never far from her thoughts, and his letter assuring her of his love was what she needed to spur her on with no holds barred to excel. He said he would be there to see it, and she would be singing to him, knowing that he would be watching. Nothing could stop her now from doing her best.

_

* * *

_

_Saturday evening_

They had just finished dinner at Paladin's and were now on their way down to The Paladin Club. Michelle was amazed by the beautiful surroundings, but Erik thought she fit quite naturally into this setting. When they'd gone through the revolving glass door, Michelle was immediately swept away by the throbbing techno music as Erik spoke to the hostess. They were led to a comfortable booth and ordered drinks, but Erik could see that Michelle couldn't wait to dance. He slid out of the booth and extended his hand to her, which she took happily as they made their way to the dance floor.

Michelle was an excellent dancer and Erik enjoyed watching her sinuous movements as she tantalizingly lifted her dress to expose her legs as she rocked. Erik enjoyed coming here and Christine had been mesmerized by his dancing. When he looked at Michelle, he saw the same look in her eyes that he had seen in Christine's when she had danced with him…wild, passionate, feral. She drew closer, and he could tell that she wanted him. She placed her arms on his shoulders as she drew nearer…and kissed him.

As they continued dancing seductively to the booming techno, there were another pair of eyes that watched their erotic dance from another table as he slowly rubbed his left arm…

_

* * *

_

_Sunday evening_

Erik was doing online research. Everything was in order, but it would still take a couple weeks for everything to fall into place. Amir had helped to an extent, but Erik would shoulder the responsibility because this was all on his account after all. Despite Michelle's flamboyance, she was very intelligent and capable. He'd never expected to see her again, but perhaps he'd only fooled himself in this. He was surprised when he had met her at Gaston's for she was even more beautiful than when they'd first met. He thought about that now, and then thought about Christine. He would never allow Michelle near her. Once Michelle was gone, he hoped never to see her again. Let the past remain in the past.

Starting tomorrow, he, Amir, and a number of other highly qualified judges would begin auditioning the applicants who wished to perform at the San Francisco Philharmonic for the following year. Most were from California, but many were from out of state and numerous foreign countries. Those from California would be auditioned before those from out of state, and last would be those from foreign countries, but the order and time of audition had little to do with success. Each set of five judges would audition approximately 75 applicants a day in the areas of voice, dance, music and drama for one week until they were done. Depending on the total number, auditions could run into the evenings. All judges would have to be in agreement for an applicant to be selected. This process drastically curtailed the number of successful candidates, but it was a process that had worked well throughout the years. They never applied a quota but enlisted only those qualified, which was usually less than four or five percent in each category.

He knew that sopranos would be auditioned in the main auditorium, since sopranos received the most coveted roles, and that Christine was scheduled to audition at 3:00 p.m. Monday since she was from San Francisco. Neither he nor Amir would be among the five to judge her performance since they were personally acquainted with her, but the judges who would sit in their place were very well qualified to evaluate her abilities. He and Amir would be watching from their customary seat in the balcony, and they were both looking forward to it.

* * *

Christine was surprised when Megan suggested dining at the Burrito Express tonight as their last chance to relax before auditions tomorrow. She thought Megan would have wanted to go elsewhere for Mexican food since her break-up with Alex, but apparently she was mistaken. 

"It wasn't a bad break-up," Megan explained as she sipped her margarita. "We talked and realized that although we did love each other, we were with the people we really wanted to be with, so it all worked out for the best. Besides, now that he and Juan have each other, I don't think we'll be seeing him in here very often any more."

Christine had to agree. She was feeling very good this evening, and although she couldn't say she was looking forward to the auditions tomorrow, she was feeling good about her voice and her ability to do well. Megan's audition was at 11:00 in the morning, but she wouldn't be able to watch her since the auditions were closed to everyone but the judges and the applicant. She wondered if Amir would be watching Megan from the shadows in the same way Erik would be watching her.

"Have you heard from Erik?" Megan asked as she ate her chile relleno.

Christine smiled. "Yes! As a matter of fact, he wrote me another letter. He wanted to let me know that he missed me and that he'd be watching my audition. It was just what I needed. He also told me not to talk to Michelle, that woman from Gaston's."

"Really? That's interesting. I wonder why not?"

"Well, like you said, maybe he's trying to protect me from something."

"I wonder if it has to do with what he did in Iran? Or maybe it's something that's happened since he's been here."

"It could be either/or, but we'll never know unless he tells us."

They both ordered a scoop of chocolate ice cream for dessert and ate quietly.

Christine looked up. "If Michelle was that dangerous, then why would he let her spend the night in his apartment or take her to a concert? Isn't that what you do with friends?"

Megan shrugged her shoulder. "Maybe they're old friends."

"An old friend who's dangerous and was half-naked in his apartment? That doesn't make sense." She took another spoonful of ice cream. "Maybe he doesn't want me to talk to her for another reason."

"Like what?"

"Well, maybe she's an old girlfriend, or an ex-wife. Maybe she's someone he had an affair with. Maybe she's had a baby by him."

Megan nodded. "Those could all work, but you still won't know for sure until he talks to you."

Christine sighed. "True. It almost makes you want to start taking bets on what she'll turn out to be."

Megan smiled and looked at her watch. "I think we'd better get home and go to bed. Tomorrow's going to be hectic."

They paid for their dinners and then walked back over to Christine's apartment building and stood outside to talk for a few minutes.

"I guess this is it, hon. Good luck tomorrow. I know you're going to amaze them with that voice of yours." Megan hugged her tightly and kissed her on the cheek.

"You, too, sweetie. You looked great the other day. They'd have to be blind not to take you. Good luck."

They hugged each other again before Christine went into her apartment building and Megan climbed into her car and pulled away.

_

* * *

_

_Sunday night_

Christine had enjoyed her evening with Megan and was glad they'd had this last night together before the horror of auditions. She thought about Erik as she changed to get into bed and decided to sign onto her laptop to see if Erik might be online. She wouldn't try to IM him since he wanted to keep his distance for now, but it'd be nice to know that she was online at the same time he was.

As she waited for her window to open up, she went through the apartment and turned out the lights and then went to brush and floss her teeth. By the time she returned, her welcome page had uploaded, but she saw from her buddy list that Erik was not online. Disappointed, she brought her laptop to the bed as she got under the covers so she could read the online news for a little while before she turned out the light. She was surprised when an IM window opened up considering the late hour.

SeraphM: Good evening, Christine. Is this too late to talk?

Christine was surprised. She hadn't seen Roan since the Salsa Festival months ago.

AriaMaven: Roan, what a surprise! Actually, I was getting ready to go to bed. What makes you IM me at this hour?

SeraphM: I know I should have done it earlier, but I just wanted to wish you good luck for your audition tomorrow. I wasn't sure if you had an early audition or not, so I wanted to be sure to let you know before then.

AriaMaven: Thank you, that was so sweet of you!

SeraphM: I know you'll blow everyone away. How've you been?

AriaMaven: I've been fine, but between the audition and finals, it's been hectic. How's your arm? Did you get the cast off?

SeraphM: Yes, it came off a couple weeks ago, but I still have to take it easy. Are you still with Erik?

AriaMaven: Yes, we're still together, everything's great.

SeraphM: Really?

AriaMaven: Yes, of course. Why do you ask?

SeraphM: No reason, just curious. Glad to hear it.

AriaMaven: Roan, I think I know you better than that. Why did you ask that?

SeraphM: Christine, you've got your audition tomorrow and I really want you to do well. That's the important thing. We can talk another time.

AriaMaven: You've got to be kidding if you think I can let this go now. Please tell me what's on your mind. I'll be fine, honest.

SeraphM: Okay, but I'm only telling you this because you want me to. I'd really rather not.

AriaMaven: Okay, so what's up?

SeraphM: I was at the Paladin Club last night and I saw Erik dancing with someone. I don't know if you know her, but she was very pretty and had dark brown hair. The way they were dancing looked pretty sexy, and she kissed him.

Christine could imagine the way Erik was dancing, and after seeing Michelle, she could just imagine her reaction. _She kissed him on the dance floor? What else did they do?_

AriaMaven: What else?

SeraphM: What do you mean?

AriaMaven: What else did they do?

SeraphM: I really don't want to talk about this any more, Christine. And I probably shouldn't have told you what I did. I just wanted to wish you good luck with your audition.

AriaMaven: Roan, you know you need to tell me.

SeraphM: No, I'm going to go now. Goodnight, Christine.

_SeraphM has signed off._

_Shit! _Christine was stunned. Why didn't Roan want to tell her anything else? Did Erik touch Michelle on the dance floor the way he did her…or did he do more? _But Erik loves me! He said he did! Why would he kiss her!_

* * *

Roan turned off his computer and turned away as he retired to his bedroom. He changed into a tee shirt and a pair of socks as he climbed into bed and turned out the light. He stared up at the ceiling as he thought about Erik dancing with that woman. 

And then he smiled…

_

* * *

_

_Monday_

Christine awoke at eight in the morning, but immediately began to feel nervous knowing what today was. Her second thought was of Roan's phone call last night.

The thought of Erik kissing that woman was more than she could deal with today. She needed to focus on her audition; she couldn't afford to be distracted because today was too important.

For once, she knew she had to make a conscious decision to deal with what was most important right now, and that was her audition. She consciously decided to forget about Roan's phone call and put herself where she was before he called. She had known she had Erik's love and she was confident of her ability. That was all that mattered now, and she would deal with everything else later.

She was thankful that all the seniors were exempt from homework during the week of auditions, but she would still have two weeks afterwards to study for finals.

She arose and went to take a shower and get cleaned up. She tried not to think about her audition at three, but her stomach was a bundle of nerves. She made herself a light breakfast of toast, egg and juice, but couldn't eat any more. She went to her closet and selected the gown she would wear this afternoon. She wanted to look elegant as she sang her selection, and she decided the dark, off-shoulder gown would be best. She recalled the last time she wore it was when she'd gone to dinner with Roan.

She looked at the clock and saw that it was now close to 9:30 and wondered if Megan was as nervous as she was. She'd been amazed when she'd seen Megan rehearse the other day and felt that she was practically guaranteed a spot in the Phil's line-up of new hires. Christine softly sang her piece as she washed her dishes and went about her chores. She would arrive at the Phil early to warm-up in one of their practice rooms before three. She wished she could see Erik before then to wish her luck, but it was enough to know that he would be there watching.

* * *

Megan arrived at the Phil at ten to warm-up and practice her moves. She hadn't spoken to her mother or Amir, which was just as well so she could concentrate. She was nervous, but being a dancer was different than singing because once she started, she would be too busy with her five-minute routine to be nervous. 

It was 11:15 when Megan's name was called for her audition. She had selected a piece from a well-known composer that would be perfect to incorporate the required movements with her complex choreography. She wore a costume she'd loved from a previous performance, and though not particularly fancy, was perfect for the audition. It was a classic white tutu with silver trim which she wore with white tights and shoes, and her hair was in a French roll with a silver clip.

She was in the largest dance studio at the Phil and there were five judges seated behind a long table. She was nervous when she first took her place before them, but she knew she would be all right once the music started.

"Megan Gerard, Garnier Music Conservatory. You will dance to _Summer Storm _by Joseph Lerner? Please proceed when you're ready.

* * *

Seated behind one of the large practice mirrors lining the studio's walls were Erik, Amir, and Madame Gerard. They were each excited to see Megan's performance, but only Madame Gerard had any clue to what Megan had in store. 

Megan took her place in the middle of the floor and stood regally as she waited for the music to begin. Neither Erik nor Amir had ever seen Megan perform in depth, so they had no idea what to expect other than an advanced ballet performance.

When the music began, Megan began slowly, executing each required movement perfectly as she had done for the majority of her life. When the music sped up and grew louder to indicate the summer storm of the title, Megan's choreography became energetic and lively, with major leaps and turns, and continued with difficult advanced movements. When the piece went into its final minute, she executed the most difficult and complex combination of movements flawlessly, causing both Erik and Amir to hold their breath as she executed each phase. When the piece concluded, Megan ended abruptly in a dramatic pose.

Such a performance would ordinarily have garnered a lengthy standing ovation, but in this audition setting, there was no applause as Megan straightened from her pose and bowed modestly for the judges before leaving the floor.

The studio was quiet except for the judges busily taking notes on their score cards before preparing for the next applicant, but behind the mirror, there was laughter and tears among all three friends for what they knew was a victory. Each of them knew that Megan had proven herself a world-class dancer and that her place at the Phil was assured. Madame Gerard was proud and emotional after seeing the culmination of her dreams for her daughter. Amir was emotional from seeing such an incredible performance by the woman he loved, and Erik was happy for his friends and amazed by the most incredible performance he had ever seen.

Madame Gerard had prepared for this and led them all to her office where they celebrated with glasses of chilled champagne. Megan arrived a few minutes later to see her mother but was surprised to see a celebration already in progress among those closest to her, and there were smiles and kisses all around with champagne. It was a joyous occasion, and Madame Gerard commemorated the happy moment with her camera.

* * *

It was 2:00 when Christine arrived at the Phil. There were no performances scheduled during auditions week, but there was still a great deal of activity as performance majors milled around waiting to be called or waited for a chance to warm up. She recognized the majority of performers from the conservatory, but also saw many new faces. Most were dressed formally to present a professional face to the judges, but she saw that some were dressed casually and wondered if they were actors. 

There were a number of practice rooms at the Phil, but they were only available to those whose auditions were scheduled within the hour in order to have the greatest number of rooms available, so Christine was able to practice and unwind before her time arrived. She'd eaten a very light lunch just in case her stomach rebelled at the last minute, but so far she felt fine, although nervous. She ran through her scales and practice warm-ups before practicing her piece, and after 45 minutes felt as prepared as she could be. She was about to leave the practice room to wait in the lobby to be called, but before she left, she thought of her parents. She wished they could be here with her to wish her luck, but she knew they were watching over her and sending their love from wherever they were, and this thought made her smile. She knew that Erik would be watching her, too, and this thought gave her strength. She loved him so much, and though she was consciously keeping other thoughts at bay, knowing that his love was with her now meant everything.

She left the practice room and made her way through the corridors and out to the lobby, taking a sip of water from a water fountain on the way. She took a seat on one of the circular padded couches and saw that she had about five more minutes.

"April Johansen."

Christine saw April jerk her head up from another couch on the other side of the lobby before she gathered herself and quickly approached the woman who had announced her name. The woman led her back into the theater until they reached the door leading backstage. From there, April would be directed on stage where she would face the judges and be instructed to begin. From the lobby, Christine silently wished her luck.

"Rochelle Johnson."

Christine looked at the clock and saw that it was 3:10. _They're running late. _The pieces were limited to five minutes, so she wondered how long the judges took to make their decisions. She closed her eyes and did some breathing exercises.

"Catherine Kaminski."

It was 3:23. Christine kept her eyes closed and breathed deeply. She tried to imagine the island where she and Erik had had such a wonderful day…

"Christine Karlsson."

Christine opened her eyes, and though she still felt major butterflies in her stomach, she felt better after visualizing their time on the island. As she approached the woman who called her name, Christine saw that the time was now 3:35.

It was unnervingly quiet as they walked down the corridor. The woman led her through a door which led backstage and then down to the carpeted stairs which led to the stage. Christine carefully picked up her gown and ascended the stairs until she was in the wings. She was very nervous now and noticed that the relaxation techniques were no longer helping, and she realized that it now came down to her skill and her own belief in herself. She took one last deep breath and walked out on stage.

When she reached center stage, she saw that the footlights were bright, allowing her to see just a vague outline of the five judges seated in the middle of the orchestra section. She stood there quietly, awaiting their direction.

"Christine Karlsson, Garnier Music Conservatory. You're going to sing to _An Overture for Mankind?"_

"Yes, sir."

"All right. You may begin whenever you're ready."

* * *

Erik and Amir were watching from up in the balcony and knew that Christine couldn't see them because of the footlights. Erik had never asked Christine about what she would sing for the audition, so he was surprised to hear that she would be singing to his overture. He'd never written lyrics for it and so was very curious to hear her perform. 

For the next five minutes, everyone in the auditorium was transported as Christine sang in a manner unique in all the world because of the uniqueness of the overture. It was uniquely beautiful, crystal clear, and as wide-ranging as the overture itself. She had taken the last five minutes of the overture which was a synopsis of the whole, and when the five minutes had concluded, there was no doubt in Erik's mind that she had triumphed beyond anyone's highest expectations. Tears fell from his eyes after hearing what he knew was the most perfect human voice he had ever heard. He had known this from the very first time he had heard her sing four years ago at the scholarship competition, and this was what had initially drawn him to her. He knew she had succeeded beyond anything he could have hoped for her audition, and he knew that they would be together now at the Phil for at least the next year, and perhaps longer.

He turned to Amir and was surprised to see tears also running down his face. With the exception of Megan's audition earlier, this was the first time he'd ever seen Amir moved to tears. Amir looked over at him and smiled, and they hugged each other as they laughed. This was a victory for both of them, for both their women would become performers at the San Francisco Philharmonic.


	84. Needing

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers, and a special thank you to my friend and editor, Terri.

Chapter 84

Needing

_Monday, post-audition_

Christine felt very good about her audition. She was on a high as she drove home and wanted to celebrate. She called Megan to see if she'd like to get together, but there was no answer and she didn't want to leave a message, so in lieu of that, decided to stop by a fast food on her way home and splurged by placing an order for a hamburger with everything on it, a large bag of fries, and a vanilla shake. She hardly ever had fast food, but today was special.

When she arrived home, Pinecone meowed and greeted her at the door. Christine set her bag of food on the table and picked her up with a smile.

"Hi, baby! Did you miss me today? I had my audition and I think I did pretty well." She put Pinecone down on the floor and washed her hands before she opened a can of cat food and served it up in a dish for her. She was about to sit down to relax and start in on her fast food when there was a knock at the door.

She went to look out the peephole and asked, "Who is it?"

"Delivery service." When Christine opened the door, she saw that it was a delivery man with an enormous arrangement of flowers and a clipboard under his arm. "Christine Karlsson?"

"Yes, please set it on the coffee table," she grinned. The delivery man came into the apartment and made his way to the living room as Christine left the door open and waited to sign for the delivery. When he came back, he handed her the clipboard and she signed it quickly, anxious to read the card that came with it.

After she shut the door, she hurried into the living room and grabbed her camera off the bookcase and took a picture of the beautiful arrangement of roses and other colorful flowers in the large crystal vase, the large black ribbon giving away the sender. She smiled as she removed the card from the pick and read it:

_To the love of my life,_

_Forever and a day,_

_Erik_

She felt her heart swell with love as she replaced the card on the pick even as her thoughts inadvertently returned to Roan and their conversation the other night.

_He said he saw Michelle kiss Erik at The Paladin Club while they were dancing. Did they do anything else while they were there? Why did he take her there? Did he sleep with her?_

She looked at the beautiful flowers as she considered this, and turned away. She decided to eat her food and put on some soothing music before sitting down to eat. The hamburger, French fries, and shake were good, but when she was done, she was uncomfortably stuffed and swore she'd never go to another fast food again. She frowned when she recalled saying this very thing the last time she had fast food.

She went into the living room and laid down on the couch. She looked at the beautiful flowers on the coffee table and thought about Erik. Now that auditions were over, she had all the time in the world to ponder what was going on with him and Michelle. Pinecone jumped up on the couch and laid next to her so she could scratch her fur. _It's been almost three weeks since I first saw him with Michelle at Gaston's, and every time I see or hear anything, they're out doing something. Has he slept with her yet?_

Christine continued scratching Pinecone behind her ears, and as they both lay with full stomachs, soon fell asleep.

_

* * *

_

_Tonight, she would go to him and observe what went on. He wouldn't be able to see her and they wouldn't know they were being observed, but at last she would see what went on between them when Erik wasn't with her. _

_When it became night, Christine willed herself to travel to Erik's side to see what he was doing. He was having dinner with Michelle at a small restaurant near a beach out of town. It looked very romantic and they seemed to be enjoying one another. After dinner, she saw them walk along the beach, the waves glistening in the moonlight. After awhile, she saw him kiss her, and they were soon making love on the beach. It was both romantic and erotic, and they looked so perfect together. Christine could feel their fiery passion and regretted that Erik had never made love to her on the beach like that. _

_She had to pull away from the scene because she could feel what they were feeling, and her own arousal was now peaking and she didn't want it to. She would go to another time and see what they were doing now at the Phil. _

_The theatre was empty after the performance and Michelle had seen it for the first time from one of the box seats. As Christine willed herself to find Erik, she saw that he was with Michelle in the box. They were on the floor of the box and Erik was on top of her. They were still dressed, but he'd pushed her dress up and taken her spontaneously after the performance as everyone was leaving. It was so typical of Erik to take her when there was always the chance of discovery. _

_As before, Christine could feel everything…their passion, their fiery lust…and then their orgasm. She felt it when it came upon them and they cried out, and she felt it the very moment it hit…_

* * *

Christine awoke suddenly in the midst of a powerful orgasm and rode it out until it subsided, opening her eyes while still trying to catch her breath. It'd been an exceptionally vivid dream, and she could still feel its effects. She'd never orgasmed in her sleep before and wondered if it was due to the fast food since she wasn't accustomed to eating so much. 

Pinecone jumped off the couch when Christine had begun to shudder in her sleep. She opened her eyes and looked over at the clock and saw that it was 7:00, but it was still light outside. She laid back down and wondered what Erik was doing tonight. She knew her dream was just a manifestation of her insecurity over Michelle, so she wasn't worried about it, but she had to admit that her need for Erik had only grown stronger each week to where she'd had to resort to masturbating in order to get through her nights. She wondered how much longer it would be before she saw him again.

She rose up and went to her bedroom. She would write him a letter.

_

* * *

_

_Tuesday morning_

Erik awoke at eight and knew he'd have a full day of judging today, perhaps even into the evening. He climbed out of bed and hopped into the shower to get cleaned up, and then had a light breakfast of cereal and orange juice. He dressed and was about to make his way down to the theatre when he noticed an envelope that had been pushed under his door. He knew it had to be from Christine.

He picked it up and brought it back to the living room as he gently opened it. He sat on the edge of the couch as he took the letter out and unfolded it.

_Dear Erik,_

_When I returned home yesterday, I wanted to see you so badly, but imagine my surprise when I opened the door and received the most beautiful arrangement of flowers I've ever seen. It was as though you had read my mind. Thank you!_

_I miss you so much, my love. It's been two weeks since we last spoke. I still don't understand why it must be this way, but I know you will tell me when the time is right. I wish there was something I could do to help you with whatever is happening, but I'm sure you are doing everything to make it right. Until then, I'm waiting for you to come back to me. _

_I hope you are well. I miss you. _

_With all my love, _

_Christine _

Erik sat still as he looked at her letter, noting her neat script and signature. He held the letter up to his nose and captured the faint fragrance of _Aria_, the perfume he'd gotten for her last Christmas. He closed his eyes and imagined her now, and then folded the letter and placed it back into its envelope. He laid it on the coffee table before making his way to the elevator that would take him downstairs for another day of judging.

_

* * *

_

_Thursday evening, Amir's_

"So how are the arrangements coming along?" Amir asked as he spooned the rest of the mashed potatoes into a bowl.

"Everything's on schedule so far. If everything works out, she'll be on a plane to Los Angeles next Saturday." Erik took out the dishes and flatware and set the table.

"Hm. Think she'll stay there?"

"I don't know. She could actually go wherever she wants. She's quite marketable."

Amir paused as he thought back. "Yes, I know. She might even choose to come back here someday if she gets tired of L.A. I understand she's enjoying herself here."

"Yes, she is. She actually loves it here, so you may be right. But by then, perhaps it'll no longer be a problem."

"But can you be sure of that?"

Erik looked over at him knowingly. "About as sure as we were ourselves."

Amir nodded. "Ready to eat? I've got a new margarita recipe," he smiled.

_

* * *

_

_Friday evening_

Erik returned to his apartment after meeting with Amir in his office. They'd auditioned the last of the singers, but he knew that other judges would be auditioning musicians and actors until late tonight. He was glad it was almost over. There were many fine singers, but often it was more than just their voices that figured into their consideration. If it appeared for any reason that an applicant might not be able to complete a one-year contract, they would be disqualified. But fortunately, in the case of Christine and Megan, he was certain that their places were all but guaranteed. Audition results would be mailed out next Friday, and for those who lived in San Francisco, they would receive them the next day. He was certain Christine and Megan would be accepted, but there was always that bit of uncertainty when dealing with five separate judges with different personalities and temperaments.

He would see Michelle tomorrow evening but wondered what Christine was doing tonight. He wished he could call her, but he didn't want to take a chance, not even to IM her or call her because you could never know, but by this time next Saturday, they would be together again.

The last two weeks had been difficult, and he had to admit that Michelle hadn't made it easy. She was a beautiful woman after all, and her naturally seductive nature and sexuality were disarming and intruded upon his thoughts more than he liked. There were times he could very easily have succumbed to her charms and enjoyed it, but always in the back of his mind was Christine. Michelle was obviously a very sexual woman, but due to the current upheaval in her life, he doubted very much that she'd given any thought to satisfying her urges at all lately. But he had.

The nights were difficult, and his thoughts were filled with Christine. He'd masturbated when his urges threatened to overtake reason, at times two or three times a day when he thought he would go mad with desire. He'd even driven past Christine's apartment at night when he knew she'd be home, just so he could briefly see a light on, indicating that she was still awake. Michelle would be gone in another week, yet a week now seemed interminable.

He wondered if Christine suffered for him as he did for her.

_

* * *

_

_Saturday evening_

Michelle had told Erik that she wanted to have some wonderful Chinese food tonight, so he decided to take her to Fong's, since in his opinion, their food was the best in the city. He could have taken her to The Forbidden City as well, but he didn't think he could handle any more of their fortunes. And though there was a chance they could be spotted by Christine since Fong's was just five minutes down the street from her apartment, he felt that the chances of her being there at the same moment they were was too remote, so Fong's it was.

When they arrived, they were seated in a comfortable booth and Michelle was thoroughly charmed by the ambiance.

"Erik, thank you so much for bringing me here. I just love it! The food must be very good if the natives eat here, too," she observed.

Erik smiled for she was absolutely correct. Fong's was a very popular restaurant with the locals in Chinatown, and he found that this was usually a good indicator for restaurants in general.

"Yes, I feel they make the best Chinese food in the city. " He paused as he thought about something he needed to say. "Michelle, I wanted to apologize for what I said to you when you first called me."

She looked confused. "Apologize? Whatever for?"

"I told you that after everything that's happened, I didn't want to see you again. I wanted to apologize for saying that because it was selfish, and I wasn't thinking clearly. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you."

She cocked her head to one side as she took his hand. "Forget about it, darling, it doesn't matter. We're both here now and everything is going to be all right."

Erik smiled warmly and squeezed her hand. "Yes, it will."

When their waiter came by to take their orders, they ordered a variety of uncommon Chinese dishes and enjoyed themselves very much. Michelle was acquainted with Chinese food and wielded her chopsticks expertly.

"Erik, this food is excellent! I'll definitely remember it the next time I'm in town. I'm so glad that you've been well, darling. I've thought of you often over the years and wondered how you were. I hope we'll be able to keep in touch once I've gone."

"Dear Michelle, of course we will. Why don't we go shopping later on this week to pick up anything else you might need. And then Friday we can go out one last time."

"I'd love that, thank you. You've been so good to me since I've been here, Erik. I hope I haven't disrupted your personal life too much, although I'm sure I have."

Erik thought guiltily of Christine then. "You shouldn't worry about that, my dear. It'll be all right. You're much too important to me."

She smiled and took his hand and squeezed it.

When they finished their meal, Erik paid their bill and they prepared to leave. They walked down the sidewalk arm-in-arm as Michelle squeezed his arm against the cold.

* * *

Megan was driving, but she was excitedly sharing her after-audition news with Christine. "It was great! I go in to see mom, and Erik and Amir are already in her office and they're all celebrating with champagne!" 

"Wow, I wish I could have been there. After my audition I just went home. I was going to celebrate with some junk food when somebody knocks on my door, and when I open it, this deliveryman walks in with this _huge_ flower arrangement from Erik."

"Really! Can I come up and see it?"

"Sure, Pinecone'll be glad to see you again. By the way, how's Azuki Bean?"

"He's fine, but he sure sleeps a lot. They don't hibernate in the summertime, do they?"

"Um, actually I don't know if they hibernate at all," Christine grinned.

They drove down the street and were approaching her apartment when Megan suddenly said, "Hey, isn't that Erik?"

Christine turned, and walking down the street in front of Fong's were Erik and Michelle! He didn't see them because his head was turned towards Michelle, but she noticed how cozy they appeared walking arm-in-arm. "What the hell…?" She turned to stare at them until they were out of sight.

When they finally pulled up to Christine's building, they quickly made their way up to her apartment, and while she changed, Megan went over to look at the flowers, amazed at the size of the arrangement. When Christine came into the living room, Megan was reading the card. "So what do you think?" she asked.

Megan could only shake her head. "Wow, you got me. It's almost like he's trying to burn the candle at both ends."

"Roan called me Monday night and said he saw them dancing at Paladin's, and she kissed him."

Megan raised her eyebrows, recalling the highly suggestive environment of The Paladin Club's dance floor.

Christine continued. "Right, I was thinking the same thing. I asked him if they did anything else, and he wouldn't tell me."

Megan shook her head again, thoroughly perplexed. "I don't understand this. It doesn't make sense."

"No, it doesn't. He sends me letters and flowers and tells me he loves me, yet he's going out with Michelle and kissing her." Christine paced. "It's been two weeks. How much longer is this going to go on?"

"What are you going to do?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I said I was going to trust him and wait, but he's dating this other woman right in front of my eyes and not giving me any explanation. And it even looks like he might be sleeping with her while I'm over here just waiting on him, so what am I supposed to do?"

Megan seemed to be thinking about something. "Why did Roan call you?"

"He said he wanted to wish me luck with the audition."

"Anything else?"

"No. Well, he asked if I was still with Erik and I said I was, and that's when he told me about seeing them at Paladin's. Why?"

"Well, it just seems that if he really cared about you doing well at the audition, he wouldn't have told you about what he saw there."

"So you're saying you think he was trying to sabotage my audition?"

"No, not sabotage your audition, but just get what he wants."

"And what's that?"

"Number one, revenge. And number two, you."

"Megan, that's crazy."

She had to agree. "Isn't it, though? Erik took you away from him. Whether that's really true or not doesn't matter because it's what he believes. And then Erik broke his arm. He probably feels that Erik's to blame for everything whether he really is or not. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd do anything to get back at him, and if he can get you back at the same time, all the better."

"Do you really believe all this?"

"Well, I really don't know. But it's possible, isn't it?"

Christine looked away. "Megan, anything's possible, but I just can't believe that anyone we know could be that desperate."

Megan looked at her closely. "Christine, if Erik didn't explain himself for awhile and you kept seeing him out with Michelle from time to time, could you ever go back to Roan?"

"As a boyfriend? No, never."

"I mean, could you still sleep with him? "

Christine stared at her. "No…of course not…"


	85. Cat and Mouse

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: If there is anyone who speaks fluid French that would like to help translate some phrases in The Phil, please e-mail me. Thank you to my reviewers, and a special thank you to my friend and editor, Terri.

Chapter 85

Cat and Mouse

_Tuesday night_

Christine changed the water in the large arrangement of flowers from Erik and again admired the roses and other colorful blossoms. They were still as beautiful as the day she received them. As she carried it back into the living room, she thought about Erik and Michelle and wondered if they'd done anything more together since Saturday when she saw them outside of Fong's.

There were just two more weeks of school left. This was the last week of homework, and next week would be devoted to studying for finals. The year-end production was this coming Saturday night and she had practiced her piece until it was perfect. She went to her closet and looked over what to wear for her performance. She had a couple gowns that would have worked, but since this was the last performance of her college career, she wanted to wear something new.

It was only ten, but after a day of classes and rehearsals, Christine was tired. She changed into her sleep shirt and brushed and flossed before bringing her computer to the bed with her. She sat atop the bed, and as had become her routine, she turned on her laptop to see if Erik was online, then to see if she had any e-mail, and finally to read the online news until she felt sleepy enough to log off. She was disappointed to see that Erik wasn't online tonight, and though she didn't get any personal e-mail, she received an e-mail flyer from one of her favorite stores which was having a sale. She decided to go there tomorrow night and hopefully find a suitable gown.

Just then, Pinecone hopped onto the bed and pushed her head under Christine's hand.

"Oh, _now _you want some attention, just when I'm about to go to bed," Christine smiled. She scratched Pinecone's head for a few minutes while Pinecone continued to push up into her hand. After awhile, Christine turned off her laptop and snuggled under the covers while Pinecone settled into a spot on the bed next to her and they both fell asleep.

_

* * *

_

_Wednesday afternoon_

Christine made her way over to Francesca's the moment she got out of school. She loved window shopping along the small side streets in the tony Nob Hill area, but her favorite shop was Francesca's, an elegant dress shop set among other elegant shops for those with discriminating taste. She'd happened upon this store by accident one day when she was with Rick. It was his mother's favorite dress shop and he was looking for a birthday present and needed Christine to help him find something she would love. Besides elegant clothing, they also sold lingerie, jewelry, shoes, and purses. She'd fallen in love with Francesca's that very day and went there occasionally, but only when they had sales because that was the only time she could ever afford anything there.

Christine perused the sales racks and found four gowns that she liked very much and decided to try them on in one of the large dressing rooms along the wall near the center of the store. It'd been a long time since she'd gone clothes shopping and recalled that the last time was when she and Erik were in Sausalito and they'd gone to Comrades that night. She'd fortunately never been a clothes horse, so the fashions she did purchase were usually classics which were timeless, and she felt that Francesca's suited her taste if not her budget.

She closed the door to the dressing room and hung the gowns on a hook when she heard someone enter the dressing room next to hers and close the door. Christine ignored it and proceeded to undress to try on her gowns and she could hear her neighbor doing the same. When she'd donned the first gown, which had black spaghetti straps and rhinestones, she looked at herself carefully in the three-way mirror, scrutinizing it. She liked it, but she would try on another. She was on her third gown when she heard the door next door open and a woman speak.

"What do you think? Do you like it, or do you think it's too short?"

_She sounds familiar, _Christine thought.

"It's perfect, you look beautiful, darling. And here, try this on. There are two pieces."

Christine froze. She recognized that voice…_it was Erik!_

"Oh, it's beautiful! I've never slept in anything like this before!"

_That's Michelle!_

"Well, it's about time you did, isn't it?"

"You're too good to me."

Christine heard the faint smacking of lips on the other side of the door before Michelle closed her door again. Christine's mind was reeling. _Erik's buying Michelle lingerie…and she kissed him! _Her heart was pounding and she was afraid she was going to hyperventilate. She sat down in a chair for a few moments to calm herself.

When the door next to hers opened again, Michelle asked, "Well, what do you think?"

"Beautiful," Erik murmured. "Just beautiful."

Michelle closed the door again and Christine could hear her changing. When Michelle left her dressing room, Christine stood and quietly opened her door a crack to see where she'd gone. She saw Erik and Michelle standing near the counter in the middle of the store, and as the items were being totaled, Michelle hugged Erik affectionately. _They look so good together, _Christine thought wretchedly. She saw that he'd purchased her a dress, lingerie, a large leather purse, and a pair of designer sunglasses. She closed her door and sat back down. She closed her eyes and covered them. _What does this mean? Is it over between us?_

In a few minutes, there was a light rap on her dressing room door.

"How did those things work for you, dear?"

It was the sales clerk. Christine looked at the gowns. "Just fine, thank you. I'm almost done."

Christine went through the motions of trying on the final gown, but she felt like she was in limbo. She'd seen Erik buying clothes for Michelle with her own eyes and had even heard him kiss her. What more proof did she need?

All the gowns were beautiful, but she selected the second one, which she loved. It was still more expensive than she would have liked, but for this once-in-a-lifetime performance, she felt it was worth it. She gathered her things and took the gown up to the counter.

"Beautiful selection," the sales clerk smiled kindly. "It's my favorite, and a great price at 50 percent off. $321.75."

Christine swallowed and wrote out her check as the sales clerk placed it in a plastic bag over the hanger. When she left the store and placed her purchase in the car, she drove home slowly, the day not nearly as bright as it was earlier. When she returned to her bedroom, she hung the dress in the closet and selected the shoes she would wear with it and the accessories. Her black shawl would complement it nicely as a wrap.

She was glad she'd gotten her gown for the performance out of the way. Now the only thing she needed to worry about were finals. She walked into the kitchen and opened a can of cat food for Pinecone, who trotted out immediately when she heard the can opener. Christine didn't feel like cooking tonight, yet she didn't feel like leaving the apartment again to go out and buy something to eat; she'd had enough surprises for today. She decided to boil some spaghetti and heat some sauce to go with it, and that would be her dinner.

Her heart was heavy, and it hurt. It was a familiar hurt she didn't think she'd ever feel again, but it was back. She didn't know what to think. Erik sent her flowers just three days ago, and today she saw him buy clothes for Michelle and heard him kiss her. What would he tell her the next time they spoke? What more was there to say?

When she'd prepared her dinner, she brought it into the living room to eat on the couch while she watched TV, a nature show. But when it was over, she could hardly remember what it was about. When she finished eating, she cleaned her dishes and did her homework for the next few hours. It was 8:00 by the time she finished.

She packed her books and homework away and decided to take a shower. When she finished bathing, she felt refreshed, and by the time she returned to her bedroom, she saw Pinecone already on the bed and curled up for the night. It was still too early to go to sleep, so she brought over her laptop and logged on.

Erik was online. She stared at his name for awhile, torn between hurt and anger, wanting to ask him what the hell was going on, yet also wanting to tell him to come back. Her heart was aching and she knew she wasn't going to IM him, so she closed her buddy list and decided to read the online news. But first, she wanted to get comfortable with a glass of ice water with lemon and a snack, so she got up and walked to the kitchen.

Just then, the instant message tone sounded on her laptop and Christine rushed back to the bedroom, her eyes darting to the screen, hoping it was Erik. It wasn't.

SeraphM: Good evening, Christine.

She was disappointed, and seeing Roan's name reminded her of her conversation with Megan last week.

AriaMaven: Hi, Roan. What's up?

SeraphM: How are you doing? I just wanted to hear how your audition went.

AriaMaven: That's really sweet. I think I did pretty well. We should get our letters this Saturday, and then we'll know.

SeraphM: I'm sure you blew them away. They'd be crazy not to hire you.

AriaMaven: Thanks, I hope they feel that way, too.

SeraphM: I understand you'll be performing in the Conservatory's year-end production.

AriaMaven: Yes, all the performance majors have to, it's part of the requirement, but I'll have a solo. Were you going to attend?

SeraphM: Yes, I've kind of gotten into a habit of it since working for the Phil. They required everyone to attend so we'd see the up and coming talent. Most of the performance majors are pretty good.

AriaMaven: Yes, the quality of talent they produce is pretty impressive, but you have to audition to get in, so they're very selective about who they accept.

SeraphM: Christine, I wanted to apologize to you about last Sunday.

AriaMaven: Last Sunday?

SeraphM: Yes, for hanging up on you.

AriaMaven: Oh, that's okay, no problem.

SeraphM: Is everything okay between you guys now?

Christine wondered how sincere Roan really was in asking her about them. Megan thought he wanted to get revenge against Erik and that she was just incidental to the whole drama.

AriaMaven: Roan, how to you feel about Erik?

SeraphM: Well, I admit he's not one of my favorite people, but as long as you're happy, that's the important thing. Why do you ask?

AriaMaven: I just wondered how you felt about him since he broke your arm. And then you saw us together at the Salsa Festival.

SeraphM: Well, I won't ever invite him over for dinner, but as long as I know you're happy and he treats you well, then that's all that matters.

AriaMaven: Thanks, I'm glad to hear it because I'm sure there are people I don't like either.

She thought immediately of Joanna and Victoria Rinaldi.

SeraphM: So everything's been okay since the audition then?

Christine thought about Megan's theory about Roan, but after seeing Erik with Michelle today, it no longer mattered.

AriaMaven: Well, no, not really.

SeraphM: Why? What's wrong?

AriaMaven: I really don't want to dump this on you. It's my problem and I'll get through it.

SeraphM: I'm only asking because I'm your friend and I've always cared about you. I always will.

AriaMaven: I appreciate that. I really do, but it'll be okay. I'll get over it.

SeraphM: If I may, does it involve that brunette I saw him with at The Paladin Club?

AriaMaven: Yes.

SeraphM: Well, if he can't appreciate you for who you are, then he really doesn't deserve you. It doesn't matter how beautiful she is because he knew you.

AriaMaven: Thanks, I appreciate that, but I'd better go.

SeraphM: Okay, but if you ever want to talk, call me or IM me anytime.

AriaMaven: Okay, thanks. Goodnight, Roan.

SeraphM: Goodnight, Christine.

Roan turned off his computer and prepared to take a shower. He didn't understand what was going on with Erik Dupont and that brunette, but felt the man had to be a fool to let Christine get away again. Granted, the brunette was beautiful and obviously very sexual judging by what he saw at Paladin's, but women like that were only good for the short term; Christine, on the other hand, could be a life partner.

As he stepped under the hot water and began lathering his hair, his thoughts turned to his parents. When he was very small, he remembered his father at work or seeing him off on yet another business trip to the east coast or Europe, always accompanied by an assistant or business partner, who, more often than not, were beautiful women. It wasn't until he was a junior in high school when he began to suspect the true nature of his father's relationships, and by the time he was in college, he was certain of the place these women had in his father's life. At first, he'd been shocked and dismayed, but from talking with friends, learned that it wasn't an uncommon situation among their fathers who often traveled on business or interacted with the public a great deal.

From this, he'd developed his own ideas of a man's place in the world and with his family. _I can always be with a beautiful woman, but I will only have one wife…_

He wondered how long it'd been since Christine and Erik had been together. Although it was quite obvious that Erik was having his needs met by the brunette, what about Christine? It sounded like she was still waiting for Erik to come back to her. _After seeing that brunette, though, I doubt if that's going to happen anytime soon. Knowing Christine, I think she'd appreciate some attention…_

_

* * *

_

_Thursday evening_

SeraphM: Good evening, Christine.

AriaMaven: Hi, Roan.

SeraphM: Did I catch you at a bad time?

AriaMaven: No, I was just doing homework.

SeraphM: There's a new movie at the Rialto. It's that one about the galaxy destroyer. Want to go?

AriaMaven: I heard it was pretty good. I'd like to see it, but I don't think it would be a good idea right now.

SeraphM: Why not?

AriaMaven: You know I'm still with Erik.

SeraphM: Are you sure?

AriaMaven: No, but I'm still with him until I'm sure we're not.

SeraphM: Christine, it seems we've been down this road before. Was I wrong then?

AriaMaven: No, but I want to trust him.

SeraphM: I can understand that, but are you trusting someone to the point of being unreasonable? If so, then you're playing the fool.

Christine was shocked that he would speak to her this way, but his words pierced her heart because she'd already suspected as much.

SeraphM: Christine?

AriaMaven: I know. Maybe you're right.

SeraphM: Let me come over right now so we can talk, Christine.

She felt her heart breaking all over again, and she felt overcome with sadness at this new development. _Maybe_ _he's right and I'm just being a fool…_

SeraphM: Christine, are you there?

AriaMaven: Yes, I'm here.

SeraphM: I think you could use a friend right now, babe, and I told you I'd always be there for you. Let's get together and talk.

She wanted to talk to him, and it would be nice to have him here. She missed being loved…

AriaMaven: No, not tonight. Maybe another time.

SeraphM: Why not tonight?

AriaMaven: I want to think about it a little more.

SeraphM: Okay. But just remember that I'll always be here for you.

AriaMaven: I will. Thank you. Goodnight, Roan.

SeraphM: Goodnight, Christine.

Roan turned off his computer and smiled.

_It won't be long now…_

_

* * *

_

_Friday evening_

Christine was glad it was the weekend. It'd been a rough week, and she'd be studying for finals all next week. And tomorrow she would know if she'd been accepted at the Phil. She was nervous about receiving the letter, but she was also nervous about doing well at the year-end performance tomorrow night. She wondered if Erik would be there to see her perform. She hadn't heard from him since she received his flowers Saturday.

She thought back to seeing him with Michelle and then wondered again if Roan was right. Was she a fool for wanting to believe that he'd still come back to her and that things could be all right again? She sighed, and Pinecone hopped up onto her lap. But instead of lying down, she brought her face close to her and began to lick her mistress. Christine was surprised because Pinecone rarely did this, but it was a welcome gesture that she appreciated, and she hugged her.

"Thank you, baby," she whispered. "You understand, don't you?" and Pinecone meowed softly.

Christine wanted to go out tonight instead of mope around the apartment, but she knew Megan would be with Amir since she also relished her weekends. Roan had mentioned the new movie at the Rialto, but she didn't want to go with him and give the wrong impression. But she did want to see the movie.

Christine logged on to her laptop to check the next show time and saw that it would be at 8:20. It was 8:00 now, so she had time to get there. Retrieving her jacket off the chair and grabbing her keys, she went out the door.

* * *

When she arrived downtown, Christine was able to find a parking space with no problem and she was glad to see that the line wasn't long. The Rialto was a multiplex, so not everyone was there to see the same movie. She queued up to purchase her ticket and then treated herself to a small bag of popcorn and some soda before entering the theater to find her seat. The theater had already been darkened for the previews, so she stepped gingerly up the steps to find a seat in an upper row. The theater still had a number of good seats available so Christine found one near the middle, three-quarters of the way up, and made herself comfortable. 

She wasn't used to going to the movies alone, but had on rare occasions when there'd been no one to go with and there was a movie she just had to see. It wouldn't have been her choice, but since it only involved watching a movie, it wasn't too bad. It wasn't like dining alone, which she had done once long ago and vowed never to do again. Not only was it awkward sitting at a table alone, but she'd found it to be _lonely_, and she'd hated it. Ever since then, she ordered out rather than have to sit alone while eating.

The movie was very good and she enjoyed the action/adventure and special effects as well as the handsome hero. There was plenty of suspense and an interesting character study and plot, and Christine wished she could discuss the movie with Erik like they'd always enjoyed doing. The movie lasted two and a half hours and had a very satisfying ending, and Christine felt she'd gotten her money's worth. When it ended, she made her way down the steps and to the lobby and saw there were people in line to see the late show.

"Christine!"

She stopped when she'd heard her name and turned to see who had called. Not seeing anyone familiar, she continued out the lobby doors.

"Christine!"

She turned again and was surprised when she saw Roan approaching her.

"Roan! I didn't know you were going to be here tonight," she smiled. "How did you like the movie?"

"It was great, it had everything!" he said enthusiastically. "Did you enjoy it?"

"I loved it! But I think it would have been better if they hadn't kept backlighting the destroyer; it would have made it more scary I think."

Roan smiled. "So what are you up to now?"

Christine looked at her watch. "Well, it's almost eleven, so I'll probably go home and go to bed."

"I was going to go over to the diner and get some coffee. Why don't you come with me so we can get a little something to eat, and then we can talk about the movie."

"Well…"

"Come on, it'll be fun. When was the last time you've been out?" he asked with a disarming smile.

Christine wasn't so naïve as to think Roan's only interest in getting together was to talk about the movie. But despite any ulterior motive, it was still her choice, and she could always say no. Besides, it sounded like fun and she was still wired from the movie.

"Okay, but just as long as I get home by twelve."

Roan grinned and they began walking down the sidewalk towards the all-night diner on the corner. They sat in a window booth and ordered coffee and hot chocolate and shared a plate of French fries.

Christine enjoyed the late night out and debating the merits of the movie with Roan, and as usual, they had divergent viewpoints about the movie they both loved. When their French fries were gone in the middle of their discussion, Roan ordered slices of French Silk pie so they could continue their debate. When they again reached an impasse, the conversation turned to their personal lives.

"What's the longest you've ever had a girlfriend?" Christine asked as she took a bite of her pie.

Roan looked up from his plate. "Two months…when we were together," he said softly.

"Really? Do you ever get lonely?" she asked.

"Well, I'm usually too busy to be lonely, but when I do think about it, I wouldn't mind having someone special sometimes." He paused and sipped his coffee. "What about you? Have you made up your mind about Erik?"

Christine hesitated. She'd thought about it non-stop since seeing Erik and Michelle two days ago, and then after talking to Roan last night.

"Well?" He could see the gears in her mind turning. _She's not sure any more. _

Christine stared at him, but didn't speak. _He's pressuring me; he wants to sleep with me. It's almost like he knows I haven't been with Erik in almost a month. I do miss Erik, and I need him…_ Her mind was churning, thinking of possibilities, choices, reasons.

Roan gazed at her, his eyes piercing into her heart. "Christine…" He gently took her hand that lay atop the table.

Christine looked at it, feeling his hand holding hers, and she felt herself turn into melted butter. She looked up at him and wondered, _Why does he have to look so handsome tonight? His eyes are bluer than blue…_

He could see everything…her thoughts, her confusion, her unrequited desire. _Erik's losing her, but I'm right here to pick up the pieces. She needs to be loved…_

"Christine," he whispered, "let me help you."

She seemed mesmerized, but suddenly, she pulled her hand back and looked at her watch. She began to scoot out of the booth and grabbed her purse. "It's almost 12:30, I should go now! Roan, thanks for everything. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow at the performance. Goodnight!"

She walked quickly to the exit and made her way back to her car. It was still busy in front of the Rialto, so she felt safe walking down the street even at this late hour. She was shaken because she knew just how close she'd come to succumbing to him. She loved Roan as her friend, and sex with him had always been wonderful, but she wasn't going to sleep with him.

She was still Erik's even if she didn't understand what was going on…

* * *

Whenever he couldn't sleep, Erik had long had the habit of going on drives in the night. Sometimes he would drive the PCH, or go through Golden Gate Park, or like tonight, he would drive through Chinatown because he loved the narrow streets and colorful neon storefronts. There was something about old ethnic neighborhoods that were so charming. During the day there were outdoor vendors, and in the evenings there were the restaurants and clubs. 

When he'd seen the whole of Chinatown and driven through the Chinatown Gate, he still wasn't ready to return home, so he decided to head downtown to see the nightlife and the people. He loved this city, and by tomorrow night, his life would be back to normal. He drove down one of the main streets past the Rialto to see what was playing this week. It was that new science fiction movie that had been advertised widely on billboards. He would have to rent it for Christine.

When he reached the corner, he was stopped by a signal light and waited patiently. He happened to turn his head and saw the diners in an all-night café when his heart stopped. It was Christine and Roan…_and he's holding her hand!_

He stared at them, hardly breathing, when he saw Christine pull away from Roan and leave the diner. She was in such a hurry that she didn't see him. _What was she doing with Roan? Is he still trying to steal her away?_

When the light changed, he drove home in a fog, confused and angry by this sudden turn of events.

* * *

Roan watched her leave the diner. He drained the last of his coffee and then paid the bill at the counter. He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked back to his car and thought about Christine. He'd been so close this time. 

_She was almost mine tonight, I know it. But it doesn't matter because Erik's already got his hands full, and I've got all the time in the world…_


	86. Acceptance

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers, a special thank you to Kaya Nah for translating, and to my friend and editor, Terri.

Chapter 86

Acceptance

_Saturday morning_

Erik awoke later than he normally did. The sun had already brightened his bedroom, but he stayed in bed for awhile thinking about what he'd seen last night…Roan holding Christine's hand, and then Christine quickly leaving him. What did it all mean?

This would be a busy day, having to make sure that all the arrangements had been completed for Michelle, and then seeing her off tonight before attending the conservatory's year-end show and seeing Christine perform.

Anubis hopped onto the bed then and climbed up on him, meowing.

"And what is it my mistress desires this morning?" Erik asked as he scratched her under her chin, and Anubis began to purr loudly. "Ah, you wish love and attention do you? Well, don't we all."

Erik stroked Anubis' long fur as she lay on his stomach, and he stared up at the ceiling as he pondered what to do. _Why would Christine be with Roan? And why would he be holding her hand? In her letter, she said she was waiting for me to come back to her. What's happened? I can't do anything until Michelle is gone. _

He arose from bed and walked to the bathroom. He took a leisurely shower and mentally prioritized the phone calls he'd have to make in order to confirm that everything was in readiness for Michelle. When he got out of the shower, he went to his walk-in closet and dressed casually. He thought of Christine. _I wonder what she's doing right now. Is she having breakfast? When will she get her mail? I wish I could see the look on her face when she receives her letter. I don't doubt that she got in, as well as Megan. _

Erik then went into the kitchen and made himself a light breakfast of cereal and juice, and when he was finished, he rinsed his dishes and went into his study to make the phone calls. That was what he did for the next two hours. He was relieved when this was completed and he was assured that everything was in order. Now all he had to do was wait to see Michelle this evening.

He wondered when he would see Christine again and if she would admit that she'd been with Roan, and why he was holding her hand.

_Do you trust her? _his conscience asked slyly. _Or has she betrayed you again with that boy? Can you imagine Roan making love to her? Michelle wants you, and you've wanted her…_

Erik closed his eyes to these random thoughts. He knew they meant nothing. And yet, he could feel his groin begin to ache and his member start to stiffen. He went into the bathroom to masturbate because he knew it was the only way he could make himself think rationally again…

_

* * *

_

_Saturday afternoon_

Christine knew when her mailman usually made his rounds, but she was on pins and needles as she waited for 4:00. All San Francisco applicants would receive their letters from the Phil today which would inform them of their audition results. Of the 3,000 graduates, roughly 2,000 were performance majors. And of that number, less than 100 were expected to be recruited, the rest coming from out of state or from other countries.

The level of excellence required to become part of the Phil had become something of an urban legend over the years, and it had actually worked for the good in encouraging students to strive above and beyond their initial expectations. The conservatory brought out the best in its students, and the prospect of becoming part of the Phil created an intensely competitive yet surprisingly cooperative environment.

Christine's professors were all at the top of their field, and many had been performers in their day. She knew she'd grown under their tutelage and was thankful for their consistent support and encouragement. After four years, she would find out if she had lived up to their expectations, as well as her parents'.

It was 4:15 when her mailman came by and she accosted him in the lobby of her apartment building.

"Something special going on today, Ms. Karlsson?" he asked amiably. "Seems like you're not the only one who's been waiting for me."

"Yes, today we find out if we've been accepted to work at the Phil," she said as she impatiently watched him sort the mail into various mailboxes.

"Is that so?" he asked as he looked through a stack of envelopes. "Well, here's your mail. You got one from the Phil here. Good luck!"

"Thank you!" Christine took her mail and ran up the stairs, both excited and scared.

She quickly closed the door behind her and rushed to the bedroom. She dropped her other mail on the bed, but carefully looked at the envelope from the Phil. It was a thin envelope, but she knew from speaking to former students that the letter would only inform her of her acceptance or rejection and nothing more. That would come later. She knew this letter held the answer to what her next year would be. _I'm possibly holding the future in my hands, _she thought. She took the letter opener from the pencil cup on her desk and carefully opened the envelope. The letter was folded in thirds, and she nervously unfolded it and began to read.

_Dear Ms. Karlsson:_

_It is our pleasure to inform you that you have been selected to represent the San Francisco Philharmonic for the coming year in the capacity of Soprano. _

_You will receive our packet of materials for new hires in a couple days which will include information about the Philharmonic, employee handbook, insurance information, and other materials to help make your transition a smooth one. _

_Again, congratulations! We look forward to seeing you at 8:00 a.m. on May 6__th_

_Sincerely,_

_The San Francisco Philharmonic _

Christine stared at the letter, not believing, and _SCREAMED! _She immediately reached for her phone and dialed Megan.

"Hello?"

"Megan! Did you get your letter?"

"Yes, I did! Did you make it?"

"Yes! Did you?" Christine already knew the answer.

"Yes! I can't believe it! We're both going to be at the Phil!" And they excitedly screamed in unison.

"Let's go out and celebrate! Want to go and get a banana split?"

Never one to turn down dessert, Megan excitedly replied, "You bet! I'll meet you at the ice cream store on Geary. Bye!"

"Bye!"

When they met at Frisco Phil's Ice Cream, they ran up and hugged each other and ordered banana splits. For the next hour, they giggled and talked excitedly about their futures. They would be performing this evening for the last time for the conservatory, and then there would be one more week of school before their graduation. Megan said she'd be out with Amir after the performance, so she wouldn't attend the after-show party, but asked Christine if she would be.

"No, I don't think so. I've never really been close to anyone else there, so I think I'll just go home afterwards."

"Have you heard any more from Roan?"

"As a matter of fact, I ran into him at the movies last night. We went to a diner afterwards for a snack."

"And?"

"He wanted to get together, but I told him I had to go." And then she remembered her shopping trip to Francesca's. "I saw Erik and Michelle shopping at Francesca's Wednesday. He bought her a dress and lingerie, and she kissed him again."

Megan's pleasant countenance fell immediately and she cut to the chase. "Where does Roan fit into this?"

Christine shook her head; she never could fool Megan. "It looks pretty obvious, doesn't it? I want to believe in Erik, but I've seen too much. I've seen Michelle half naked in a robe at his apartment, I've seen them out several times now, and I've even seen him buy her underwear and kiss her. It's obvious he's slept with her, and he's never even given me an explanation as to what's going on. Roan's been IM'ing me and he wants to get back with me. I don't love him, but…"

"But you wouldn't mind sleeping with him," she completed. Megan understood.

"Right...and it's getting harder. Last night, I could have gone home with him."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because I wanted to believe that Erik has a reason for what he's doing and that he'll come back to me. But, maybe I'm just being a fool for hanging onto the hope."

Megan took her hand and squeezed it. "Christine, if you love him, you'll never be a fool for believing in him."

_

* * *

_

_Saturday evening_

A Land Rover pulled up the circular driveway of the five-star hotel as valets hurried to open the doors for their distinguished guests. Erik and Amir entered the lobby and made their way to the elevator, taking it up to the 25th floor. When the elevator doors opened, they were let out onto a floor with six suites, and they approached the second one on the left. Amir knocked softly on one of the double doors, and in a few moments, it opened to a smiling Michelle.

"Well, I must say, I'm honored to have both of you here at the same time," she grinned.

Amir stepped forward and greeted her fondly with a hug and a kiss, and then Erik stepped up and greeted her as well.

"Are you ready, cherie? Is everything here?" Amir asked, indicating her luggage.

"Yes, and I even bought souvenirs."

Amir called downstairs for a bellhop, and while they waited, they sat in the living room to talk.

Erik took out some papers from an inside pocket as he spoke to her. "Everything's ready. You've got the keys to your new apartment and it's completely furnished. You won't even have to shop for groceries when you get there. Your car is already in the carport and you'll start your new job at the hospital next month." He took her hand. "If you ever need anything, Michelle, give me a call. You've already got your passport, but here are your identification cards and the passbook to your new savings and checking account. There's enough money in it to get you started."

"Erik, thank you, and for taking care of me while I've been here. It's even been fun," she smiled.

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door, and Amir opened to the bellhop who arrived with a large brass luggage cart.

"Let's get ready to go," Amir said as they stood.

The bellhop loaded Michelle's many suitcases and bags onto the cart and led the way to the elevator. When they reached the lobby, he loaded everything into the SUV and Amir tipped him handsomely for his trouble. Erik went to the front desk to settle the hotel bill and was amused by the desk clerk who managed to maintain his very professional demeanor while smiling continuously, no doubt thrilled by the fact that they had just been paid in excess of $15,000 for Michelle's month-long stay.

With Amir behind the wheel, they drove out of the city and headed in the direction of the San Francisco International Airport. They hardly spoke as they made their way and Erik thought about Michelle's departure. Her sudden reappearance into his life had been unexpected and disruptive, but this chapter would soon be closed and his link to that part of his life buried and forgotten -- unless she were to return someday. But even then, he felt they would be safe for too much time would have gone by and memories would have faded. Still, he would feel better once she was gone and he could return to his life with Christine.

When they arrived at San Francisco International Airport, they were early and Michelle's flight wasn't scheduled to leave until 8:00 p.m., so they sat with her now in one of the airport restaurants and had dinner as they waited for the time of departure. When passengers were at last called to begin boarding, they stood to say goodbye.

Amir hugged her warmly. "Thank you, Michelle."

"You're welcome, my friend," she smiled.

Then Erik approached her and hugged her. "Thank you, Michelle. There are no words," he said sincerely.

"You're welcome, Erik. And thank you, too." She gave him an affectionate kiss, and then turned and went down the boarding ramp.

Erik and Amir stood at the window and watched as her plane taxied down the runway and then lifted off. When her plane became as a dot in the sky, they turned and went back downstairs to their car.

On their way back into the city, Erik asked, "How are things with Megan?"

Amir looked at him and wondered why he would ask. "Things are fine. Why?"

Erik shook his head. "I don't know, but I saw Christine with Roan at a diner last night."

"What do you think, mon ami?"

Erik closed his eyes. "I don't know."

They spoke no more about it, but now that Michelle was safely on her way, their next concern was to attend the conservatory's end-of-year performance. Amir dropped Erik off at the Phil, and Erik retrieved another car from the car condo and drove over to the conservatory. As a solo performer, he knew that Christine would be one of the last to perform, as would Megan. When he arrived at the conservatory, he parked the car and then walked to their main auditorium. It was filled to capacity, but an usher found him a seat to the left of the orchestra section. When he turned to his program, he saw that Megan would be performing next.

She was the lead in a forest scene, attended to by other dancers, and she was dressed in a beautiful greenish-blue costume with a short flowing skirt. Erik thought her audition dance was by far superior, but her dance tonight was beautiful and impressive. When she finished, she received a standing ovation and flowers thrown on stage.

Christine was the final performer, and when she took her place on stage, she stood before a backdrop reminiscent of ancient Greece with its stone columns and ruins, and she looked like a Greek goddess. Her gown was a beautiful gray satin, sleeveless, with a plunging back and trailing fabric from both sides of her shoulders.

When she sang, the audience was enthralled. Her voice was crystal clear and pure, and when she finished, she received a lengthy standing ovation and a bouquet of roses which were presented by the emcee. As the show came to a close, all the performers were presented for the last time on stage to resounding applause.

Erik applauded the loudest. He was so proud of Christine. He was certain she would one day be the greatest soprano in the world. He made his way to the exits along with everyone else and headed home.

* * *

Christine left the conservatory when the performances were concluded. She could have joined the other performers who were meeting at a restaurant for a party, but she didn't feel up to it. It was enough to know that she'd performed well. 

When she returned home, she undressed and hung up her gown and put on a casual top and capris since it was still relatively early. Pinecone was already asleep on the bed and hadn't even looked up when Christine came into the room. She went to the bathroom to brush and floss and wash off her make-up and she wondered if Erik had been there to see her perform. _Is he with Michelle tonight? _she wondered. She wished he could be with her tonight. She missed him, and she wished they could spend the evening lying in each other's arms just talking about everything like they used to. And when there was no more to talk about, they would begin making love and enjoying everything about one another. Christine sighed. _Precious memories._

When she walked back into the bedroom, she brought her laptop with her and logged on. She wondered if Erik was online tonight. She closed her eyes as she waited for her laptop to boot up and ran her hand over her breast, and then over her nipple. She liked how it felt and remembered how Erik used to fondle her during a movie. She missed that.

When her Buddy List popped up, she saw that Erik was online and felt a bittersweet pain. She wished she could reach out and touch him. Just then, an instant message window popped up, and she saw that it was Roan.

SeraphM: Hi, Christine. Great performance!

Christine smiled. For once, she was glad to hear from him because it seemed he was the only one besides Megan who understood what she was going through and cared.

AriaMaven: Thanks, it was good show.

SeraphM: It was a great show, and you looked beautiful tonight. Your dress was amazing.

AriaMaven: Thanks, I loved it, too. I'm sorry I conked out on you last night, but I really did need to get home.

SeraphM: That's all right, I understand. You're probably still wired from the show. I'm surprised you didn't go to the party with the rest of the performers.

AriaMaven: I really didn't feel up to partying with them.

SeraphM: So what do you feel like doing now?

AriaMaven: I don't know. Maybe make something to eat, because I don't feel sleepy at all.

SeraphM: I'm not surprised. Did you get your letter?

AriaMaven: YES! I'M IN!!!

SeraphM: Congratulations! I never doubted you. Excited?

AriaMaven: OMG, you have no idea!

SeraphM: Did you celebrate after you found out?

AriaMaven: Yes, Megan also got in, so we got together and had a banana split. It was fun.

SeraphM: That's great. Did you celebrate with Erik, too?

Christine's smile fell immediately.

AriaMaven: No, I haven't heard from him.

Roan smirked. _Why am I not surprised?_

SeraphM: Well, I think this deserves a proper celebration. Why don't we go to Pompeii's and have a late dinner? They've got an amazing baked halibut."

AriaMaven: That's really sweet, but you don't have to do that for me.

SeraphM: Sure I do.

Christine paused.

AriaMaven: Why is that?

SeraphM: Because I care about you, but of course that's no secret. I've always cared about you, Christine, and I don't think Erik's been caring about you enough lately. Am I wrong?

Christine felt their conversations were like a cat and mouse game sometimes, but she didn't want to play this game.

AriaMaven: It doesn't matter because it doesn't concern you, Roan. That's between Erik and me.

SeraphM: That's true, but tell me if I'm wrong. Tell me you didn't want to be with me last night. Tell me the truth.

Christine didn't like the way this conversation was going, but she was reminded of his eyes as deep blue as the sea, his seductive stare across time and space, and his strong hand that took hers. She was starting to feel that familiar tingle…

AriaMaven: Yes, I did want to be with you, but that was just for the moment, and I don't love you. I'm in love with Erik.

SeraphM: But does he still love you? He seems preoccupied with someone else now.

AriaMaven: I don't want to talk about this any more. I'll talk to you later.

SeraphM: You're running away again. Why, Christine? Are you afraid of me? Are you afraid of what you're really feeling?

AriaMaven: I'm not afraid of you, and I told you what I'm feeling. I'm in love with Erik, and that's all that matters.

SeraphM: I think you're trying to hold onto something you know is already dead. You're trying to hide from the fact that there's someone else here who loves you, and you're afraid of giving your love to anyone else but a fantasy figure. You wanted me last night, Christine. It was obvious, I saw it. And you still want me. Tell me I'm wrong, Christine.

AriaMaven: You have a big ego, Roan. That's obvious, too.

SeraphM: Christine, I'm coming over because we need to talk.

AriaMaven: No! You're not coming over!

SeraphM: Afraid, Christine?

AriaMaven: No, and you're not coming over!

SeraphM: I'll be there in a few minutes, sweetheart. Bye.

_SeraphM has signed off._

_Shit! _She could imagine what Roan would do when he arrived. He would start by talking to her, and he would end by trying to seduce her. She thought about not opening the door to him, but he already knew she was there. And she wasn't about to be driven from her own apartment. _Roan can try, but he won't succeed. It doesn't matter how much I want it, I only want Erik. No matter what, he won't succeed--he won't, he won't …_

Her heart pounded and she paced in her nervousness as she again looked over at the clock. _When he knocks on the door, I'll just tell him to leave and close the door in his face. He won't even get a chance… _But even as she thought this, she could feel the warmth beginning in her chest, moving down to her lower regions. She couldn't help it. _No! I don't want him! I won't sleep with him! I won't!..._

The sudden knock on the door made her jump. Her heart was pounding and her hands were sweaty. She steeled herself and looked out the peephole.

It was Erik.


	87. Savior

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers, a special thank you to Kaya Nah for translating, and thank you to my friend and editor, Terri.

Chapter 87

Savior

Christine's heart was in her throat when she opened the door, and she was stunned. Erik was the last person in the world she expected to see. He looked _wonderful _and he gazed at her with a calm that belied his nervousness. When she didn't say anything, he asked, "May I come in?"

Looking at him in shock, Christine opened the door wider so he could enter, but by the time she closed the door, her mind again filled with memories of him with Michelle. She turned around and saw that Erik stood calmly, watching her. "How did you know I'd be home?" she asked. It was too much of a coincidence to think that Erik would show up so soon before Roan did.

"I saw you on the computer." Erik had turned on his computer the moment he returned home from the performance so he would know when Christine was home again.

Pinecone came out from the bedroom then and Erik felt her rub herself against his leg. He bent over to pick her up and began to scratch her under her chin, which caused her to extend her neck further and purr loudly.

Christine watched them. "She's missed you."

"I've missed her, too," he said.

"Where's Michelle?"

"She's gone."

"Can you tell me now what's been going on?"

"Yes. Come on, pack a bag. I want to take you home," he said softly.

They regarded one another silently, but Christine wanted to touch him, to hold him…she wanted to be with him again…and very slowly, she began to move toward him. It was as though they were two magnets slowly coming together, and his lips were almost upon hers…

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and they paused. Christine walked over and opened it. It was Roan, with a secure smile upon his face.

"Roan…" She'd almost forgotten him.

"I told you I was coming over," he smiled easily.

"I was just in the middle of something…" she said, hoping he would leave.

"We need to talk, Christine."

She gazed at him momentarily before opening the door wider to allow him in. When he crossed the threshold, he was shocked to see Erik standing there holding Pinecone, and his smile fell immediately.

Christine closed the door behind him. "I'll be right back. I have to finish doing something," she said as she walked back to her bedroom.

Roan looked at Erik uncertainly, then at Pinecone, and back again. "What are you doing here, Dupont?"

Erik continued to rub Pinecone under her chin and said calmly, "I might ask you the same. We were on our way out."

Roan stuck his hands in his pockets to calm himself. "I heard a rumor that you and Christine were no longer dating."

At this, a corner of Erik's mouth turned up slightly. "Well, it was just a rumor. I'm sure you can understand how rumors get started." He looked down at Roan's form. "How's the arm?"

Roan frowned, trying to keep his anger in check. "Fine. It's just fine," he said tightly.

Just then, Christine returned to the living room changed and carrying a small overnight case. "I'm ready," she said to Erik. "Did you still want to talk about something?" she asked Roan.

He looked at her carrying her suitcase and then looked at Erik, who was still rubbing Pinecone. "No, not at all," he said as he took a step back. "You two go on and have fun. I'll catch up with you kids later," and he quickly let himself out.

Erik and Christine looked at each other briefly before Christine placed her overnight case near the door and Erik went to sit in the living room with Pinecone. Christine went to make sure that Pinecone had everything she needed before she and Erik made their way downstairs. He had brought the Ferrari.

They drove through late night traffic towards the Phil. Erik was glad to have Christine with him again, but when he had first knocked on her door, he remembered seeing her last night holding hands with Roan, and he wondered if he was too late. He'd been uncertain even after she had invited him in, and then Roan had shown up. But she had told him to go. What did it all mean?

They drove in silence for several minutes. Erik's feelings were torn from seeing her with Roan, and then at her door, his thoughts churning as he tried to imagine why. _Why was she with him holding his hand? Did he think he was going to rekindle their relationship if I hadn't shown up tonight?_

Christine was also conflicted by her recollections of Erik with Michelle, with her kissing him at Paladin's, and then at Francesca's, and she didn't know what to think. _Michelle is gone now, but will she be back?_

They were stopped at a traffic light on their way to the Phil, and they watched the pedestrians amble through the crosswalk while they waited patiently for the light to change. Erik looked over at Christine and gently took her hand and kissed it. "Christine…" he whispered.

In that brief moment, she felt him just as surely as an electric current, a heart-wrenching pull for want of him. The light changed at that moment, and Erik's eyes returned to the road as they continued on their way.

Christine thought they would go straight to the Phil, but Erik passed the Music Center and turned around and began to drive north, passing through the Nob Hill, Russian Hill, and the edge of the Pacific Heights sections of town until he reached the Palace of Fine Arts which fronted San Francisco Bay.

Christine had seen the building many times from afar but had never attended any concerts there or been in the building itself. Erik parked near the structure and they walked towards its large entrance which was now closed. As she stood on its steps, she saw how beautiful it truly was. It was fashioned to look like a Roman ruin with columns all around and an immense rotunda. "Is it safe to be out here this late?" she asked as she looked around. "It's after twelve."

"We're fine. They patrol this area frequently, and there are also surveillance cameras." Erik pointed to a camera that was hidden in a tree that pointed to the entrance to the art museum as well as another camera that looked out over the courtyard.

The grounds were meticulously kept and Christine admired the many flowering bushes and cherry blossom trees. Everything looked very well-maintained and elegant with classical sculptures and fountains; perfect to set the stage for a classical concert. She brought a branch of a cherry blossom tree down so she could smell the flowers and found that the fragrance was very light and sweet.

Erik watched as she smelled the flowers and his heart swelled with tenderness. He wanted to sweep her up in his arms this very moment, but he knew there were things they had to discuss first before anything could happen. He had to know where she stood with Roan.

Christine looked over at him when she sensed him looking at her and she smiled. She thought he looked so handsome, as though the last month had never happened. She wished she could just forget everything she'd seen and heard between him and Michelle, but of course she couldn't. She had to know the extent of his involvement with that woman, and if she would continue to be a part of his life, and so she said the first thing that came to mind. "I love you."

"I love you, too, cherie," he murmured warmly. "I've missed you." He walked over to where she stood near the tree and gazed at her evenly. "I saw you at the diner with Mr. Richards last night, and then he came over tonight. Please tell me what's happening, cherie."

Christine was surprised by this. She didn't expect to have to explain why she was at the diner with Roan, but she could understand why he'd want to know why Roan came over to her apartment tonight. _I want him to trust me, and I want to trust him. Let this be a new beginning for us._

"I ran into Roan at the movies last night and he invited me to join him at the diner so we could talk about it. But after we finished talking about the movie, he wanted to talk about getting back together because he saw you and Michelle at Paladin's, and he saw Michelle kiss you." She paused to see Erik's reaction, but there was none, so she went on. "He IM'd me tonight because he wanted to get together, and I told him I didn't want him to come over, but he did anyways."

"Has Mr. Richards ever come over before tonight?" He had to be sure.

"No, never."

Erik looked away and approached the fountain, which now sat quietly, the water shimmering in the moonlight. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back slightly. _The boy still tasks me, but Christine refused him. She remains mine. _He sighed in relief.

"Was Roan telling the truth?" Christine asked. "Did you kiss her?"

Erik opened his eyes. He remembered that night at The Paladin Club. He remembered Michelle's sensuality as she danced, the erotic music, the exciting press of people on the dance floor. He remembered Michelle's erotic kiss…

He turned to face her. "Yes, I did, but it meant nothing. It was just the moment."

Christine stared at him. "Did you sleep with her?" In light of everything she'd seen, that was the most pressing question on her mind.

"No, I've never slept with her."

"Then why was she dressed like that at your apartment?" she asked.

Erik looked at her, but then realized that when Christine had seen both he and Michelle in their bathrobes that morning, it must have looked highly suspicious. "Because she sleeps in the nude, like I do, and she was up before I was."

Christine remembered when she first began talking to Erik online, she had been suspicious of him because it seemed he always had a ready answer for all of her questions. She rather felt that way now, but she would wait to hear the whole story. "You said she was gone. Can you tell me what this was all about now? What is she to you?"

"We're very close. I owe her everything."

Christine understood that Erik had relationships before she came into his life, but it was still hard to accept that another woman could be more important to him than she was. She went and sat on one of the benches near the fountain and looked at him expectantly. She needed to know about this woman who was so important to him that he would stay away from her for a month and risk losing her.

Erik sighed and stared into the fountain; he was remembering a time very long ago. "When I worked in Iran for the Shah, Michelle was a medical student; she came from a very wealthy family. I explained to you before about how Amir saved my life. He was the one who got me out of the palace and got us to the airport, but it was Michelle who forged our passports and tickets to be able to leave the country. Because of her family's wealth and influence, she was able to help, but it was very dangerous because she would have been killed had she been found to be connected to our escape."

"Why did she help you?"

"Because of her family's close association with Amir's family. Their friendship goes back generations and they've always helped one another. It's an honor thing."

"And why did Amir help you?"

At this, Erik hesitated. He shook his head and looked away. "I'm not sure. I've asked him, but I've never really gotten a straight answer. I think it has to do with the fact that we worked together and he got to know my capabilities. I think he felt he was helping the world by helping me."

Christine thought about this and could understand it clearly. Erik was undoubtedly one of the greatest minds of his time, and to extinguish such a spark would truly be a crime against humanity were one to consider the many contributions such a mind could make to the world. Amir sacrificed his closeness to his family so that Erik's genius could live on. She thought such nobility almost beyond comprehension.

"Anyways, as far as Michelle is concerned, she was my savior. Amir saved me, but unless we were able to get out of the country, they would have eventually found us and killed us both."

"But why did you have to stay away from me just because she was here?"

"I didn't find out why she was really here until a few days after I'd met with her. I thought she had just decided to move to the United States from Iran, but it turned out that she'd had to move because she'd come under suspicion and was being watched. If she stayed, she probably would have been arrested in a few months and then executed. Many civilians, especially those who are wealthy and well-educated, find themselves coming under suspicion for no reason because of the unstable political climate. She called me to help her get settled here. When Amir and I came to the United States, we weren't followed because the Shah and his wife were killed soon after. When I found out that Michelle was also here to escape, we didn't know if she'd been followed or not. If she had been, she would have been tied to me and Amir, and we could all have been killed. And if I didn't distance myself from you, you could also have been in danger by association. It's been a month now, but if they were going to do anything, they would have done it quickly. So it's a safe bet that she wasn't followed because she wasn't that important to them."

"So you stayed away to protect me. But why couldn't you have at least told me so I wouldn't have had to worry about you being with Michelle?"

"It was to protect you, my love. If they'd ever tried to question you, you would have been safe as long as they knew you didn't know anything. 'Plausible deniability.'"

"Amazing," Christine murmured. There was just one more thing she needed to know. "Has she ever kissed you before?"

Erik looked into her eyes and replied, "She kissed me on the cheek when I bought her a dress, and before she boarded the plane tonight."

Christine also remembered when she was in the gift shop and Erik had kissed Michelle in the lobby of the Phil. She'd thought at the time that it was a kiss, but in retrospect realized that it was merely a peck between friends, much like between she and Rick. She thought about everything she'd seen now in light of Erik's disclosure, and she felt relieved. Michelle had saved his life, and Amir's. He would always be tied to her for this reason, but Christine would forever be grateful to her. Michelle was gone now, and the danger was passed; they could return to their normal lives. She looked at her watch and saw that it was close to 1:00. She stood and approached him. "Thank you for protecting me."

"I will always protect you, my love," he said as he embraced her, and Christine knew that he would always protect her with his life. It was wonderful to hold him again, and she closed her eyes as she laid her head against his chest. She could hear his heart beating, and smell the faint fragrance of his cologne. He lowered his head to her and kissed her.

It seemed so impossibly long ago since they'd been this close, but now she remembered his kiss, how it felt, and how he felt against her. She felt safe in his arms, and she never wanted him to let go.

"Let's go home," he whispered.

* * *

Christine hadn't realized how tired she was until they'd driven home. She dozed on the way, and when Erik shook her awake, she saw that they were in the car condo. 

He took her overnight bag and they rode the elevator up to his apartment. She went directly to the bedroom and began unpacking her bag. She was very sleepy, but placed her clothes in a dresser drawer that was always kept empty for her use, and then went to the bathroom to place her toiletries in one of the drawers. She automatically started to brush and floss her teeth and then washed her face, but then realized that she was so tired that she hadn't even spoken to Erik since walking into his apartment. She wondered if he would already be naked and waiting for her in bed.

When she walked into the bedroom, she glanced at the bed expecting to see Erik already in it, but he wasn't. But the bed had been turned back and the pillows fluffed, and the small fireplace had been lit as well as a night light, which provided limited illumination. It looked so inviting that Christine couldn't help but smile. She looked to the overstuffed chair next to the window and saw that Erik was there and he was watching her. He hadn't yet changed out of his clothes and he was apparently waiting for her. He now had a drink in his hand.

"You look very tired, my love. Why don't you get undressed and get in bed?" he suggested.

"Are you coming to bed, too?" she asked.

"Soon."

Christine noticed that he wasn't getting up and obviously intended to remain seated. _He wants to see me strip. Well, it has been a month… _Ordinarily, she knew she would have been very self-conscious getting undressed with him blatantly staring at her, but she was so tired and sleepy now that she was practically beyond caring.

She started by removing her shoes. She sat on the edge of the bed and slipped them off with her socks, then pushed them discreetly under the bed. Her jewelry came next, her watch, earrings, and necklace, and she placed them on the nightstand. She glanced over at Erik and saw that he was silently watching her every move, the glass still in his hand. Despite her fatigue, she still thought he looked dangerously seductive, except that she wasn't of a mind to do anything about it right now. She stood and unfastened her pants, slipping them off and casually folding them. She glanced at Erik again before pulling her sweater off over her head. She was left now with just her bra and panties as she quickly folded her sweater and placed them atop her pants.

She looked at him while she reached behind to unhook her bra, and she saw his eyes fall to her breasts when she took it off. She was glad her bra and panties matched; they were both buff-colored. Her bikini panties were lacy and she thought they were rather sexy, and she hoped Erik thought so as well. When she placed her bra atop the rest of her clothes, she turned her back to him before slowly removing her panties. When she stepped out of them, they went with the rest of her clothes, which she placed atop her suitcase near the wall. When she turned around again, Erik's eyes were between her legs, on her breasts, and then on her eyes. When she climbed into bed, her legs parted momentarily, and his eyes were there in an instant.

Christine thought he would get undressed and come to bed now, but he didn't. He walked out of the room then, but she was too tired to care and closed her eyes. When he returned a few minutes later, she was asleep.

He stared at her while he got undressed. She looked so beautiful, her hair spread upon her pillow as she slept. The last month had been incredibly difficult, but now it was over and she was his again. Before he'd seen her with Roan, he imagined their reunion would be a joyous one filled with either tender or frenzied expressions of love. But since then, he'd been beset with doubts and fears that he'd been too late, that Roan had again stolen Christine from him. And it wasn't that he didn't trust her…it was more that he didn't trust Roan. He trusted Christine, but he knew that a man like Roan would use his allure to try and seduce her, especially if he knew that Christine had been without him for a month. Given the right circumstances, anyone could make a mistake, just as he almost had with Michelle, unbeknownst to her…

When he had undressed, he turned out the lights and climbed into bed next to Christine. He placed his arm around her as he pressed close to her. She felt so warm and wonderful, and he buried his face in her hair, inhaling its wonderful fragrance. He cupped her breast and enjoyed the feel of it, and vaguely thought that it was just the right size for his hand. He placed a kiss on her shoulder and held her close. Her body felt wonderful next to his. How he'd missed this. He'd wondered earlier if Christine would feel awkward undressing before him after a month of no contact. He'd wanted to take her in the worst possible way, but she was tired and he wanted her to want him as much as he wanted her.

She had one more week of school, and then she would graduate. He was happy for her. And then she would be working with him at the Phil, along with Megan. The future looked promising indeed. It would be the start of another chapter in their lives, but there was one more thing he needed to do.

He'd been accustomed to having his mask on for all activities, including sleeping. It had become a part of him. He removed it now and set it on the nightstand, and then he returned to holding Christine in his arms. He buried his face in her hair, and he closed his eyes as he allowed the right side of his face feel her curls. For the first time, he could feel her hair on his entire face, and he loved it. He uncovered her shoulder and gently placed his face against her, rubbing lightly against her skin with the right side of his face, feeling it for the first time. He imagined a fairy tale where one touch of her skin next to his could restore his face to its rightful condition, like the left side, and he could be handsome due to her healing powers. How he wished it could be so.

Just then, Christine turned in her sleep and now faced him. If she were to open her eyes now, she would see him as he really was. He looked at her, and imagined her opening her eyes, and smiling at him. He looked at her tenderly, wishing it could be. _I love you so much, Christine. You are my entire life… _

He looked upon her, and very gently, placed a kiss upon her lips. He could feel her skin on his face, and he knew he would remember it always. He turned and took the mask from the table, and replaced it upon his face. He lay his head down and watched her for a little while longer until he fell asleep.


	88. Graduation

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: I extended the confrontation between Erik and Roan in the last chapter and thank Reader for the suggestion. A special thank you to StarChild for your wonderful encouragement and support. Thanks to my reviewers, and thank you to my friend and editor, Terri.

Chapter 88

Graduation

_Sunday morning_

_Christine was so happy. She was at the Phil with Erik and everything between them was wonderful. He was taking her on a tour of the Phil and showing her areas of the theatre she'd never imagined. The corridors were like mazes, and she'd been led through numerous trap doors that obviously only Erik knew of. Some of the entrances were clever optical illusions, and she wondered how he could possibly know of them all unless he either knew the architect or he_ _was the architect himself._

_Erik led her through the entire building and Christine learned that there were at least five hidden doorways from his apartment to various parts of the theatre. She recalled the day he had shown her the hidden picture on the façade of the Phil, the handsome noble with his steed on a hillside. She had always wondered about the handsome man in the picture and how Erik would know how to see it…and she suddenly realized why! He was the man! It was Erik without his mask, without any deformity!_ _She was stunned by this realization. _

"_Erik! The man on the side of the Phil, is that…."_

_But he had vanished. In his place, she saw Anubis now leading her through the hidden passageway, until they came out to a large, elegantly decorated room. It was dark but for bright lighting at the far end. Erik stood before the lights, and though she couldn't make out his face due to the backlighting, she could see that he wasn't wearing his mask. _

"_Erik?" She walked towards him._

"_It's me, Christine. This is me. Hurry!"_

_She smiled, happy that she would see him at last! She ran to him, but it seemed she was hardly making any progress. She couldn't run, she was being held back, as though her feet were going through thick mud…_

_The entire room was growing brighter, slowly washing out all detail. Erik was vanishing._

"_Erik! Wait! I'm coming, I'm coming!"_

* * *

When she awoke, Christine opened her eyes to the brightness coming through the window. She was in Erik's bed, but he wasn't there. She seemed to recall dreaming about him. It was something important…but it was fading away too fast. 

The memory of it was gone. She wished she could remember it, but perhaps she would recall snippets throughout the day if something jogged her memory.

She recalled last night and Erik's explanation about Michelle. _Incredible. _She was glad Michelle was gone and that she'd been nothing to worry about after all, but she still had to get ready for her finals this week. She only had four classes to take finals for since her Advanced Vocals final was her performance last night. She sat up in bed and yawned widely.

She'd neatly folded her clothes last night, so there were a minimum of wrinkles as she dressed and then made her way to the bathroom to clean up. When she was presentable, she walked into the kitchen and saw Erik seated at the counter reading the paper. He smiled when she came in.

"Good morning, cherie. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did," she smiled. "What are you reading?"

"There's a wonderful article here about last night's performance. You can read it this morning before I cut it out."

"Cut it out?"

"Yes, for my scrapbook. I have clippings, tickets, and programs of all your performances."

"You're kidding!" Christine was amazed.

"I'll have to show you sometime. I've been keeping it for four years."

Christine could only smile and shake her head. She went over and gave him a hug. "I love you," she said softly.

"I love you, too, darling. Hungry? I made some breakfast, and now I'll make you some eggs. Scrambled soft, right?"

Breakfast was simple and delicious, and afterwards, Erik drove Christine home so she could spend the rest of the day and night studying. They both would have chosen to spend the day together, but they knew how important it was for Christine to be prepared for her finals. Once they were over, they planned to get together next Saturday evening after graduation.

When Erik walked Christine up to her apartment, he kissed her deeply. It was the first kiss they'd shared since they'd come back together again. Christine loved his kisses. They said goodbye and she watched him as he went down the stairs. Pinecone came out and meowed when she saw her mistress had returned.

Christine happily picked her up. "I have just one more week to go, baby, and then I'll be at the Phil!" Pinecone meowed and playfully batted at her hands.

Christine walked to her bedroom and tossed Pinecone on the bed while she gathered her books and study materials. She'd been conscientious about taking good notes throughout the year for all her classes and had saved all her test papers, so she laid everything out in order and planned to review all her materials throughout the week.

_And by this time next week, I'll be getting ready for my first day at the Phil!_

_

* * *

_

_Monday noon_

Christine and Megan sat at their usual table comparing notes over lunch. As two of the few graduates who were accepted at the Phil, they'd become instant celebrities.

"Honestly, I've _never_ gotten this much attention the entire four years I've been here!" Christine whispered to Megan as she looked around.

"I know what you mean. I've already been asked out on three dates, and that's _never_ happened before! Franklin Walker even asked me out!"

"You're kidding. That creep! He asked me out after I saw him talking to you!" Christine took a bite out of her tuna sandwich. "So did you guys have a good time after the performance?"

Megan smiled. "Yes, Amir took me out to dinner at the Taj Mahal. It's really beautiful there; I just love curry. What did you do when you got home Saturday?"

"I just got on my computer, but then Roan IM'ed me and tried to seduce me."

"He tried to seduce you on the computer? Wow, he's good."

"And he had me going, too. He tells me he's coming over and I tell him he's not, but he says he is and signs off."

"So what happened?" she asked eagerly.

"I was pretty nervous because it's like he knew Erik and I hadn't been together for a month, and I wasn't too sure of myself by then. But then there's this knock on the door, and it's Erik."

"You're kidding!"

"No. I asked about Michelle and he said she was gone, so he wanted to take me home to tell me what's been going on. He was about to kiss me when Roan knocks on the door."

"No way."

"Yes. I leave him in the room with Erik while I go and pack, and by the time I come out, Roan's ready to leave. He and Erik must have talked. Anyways, I spent the night at Erik's and came home Sunday morning to study."

"Wow, that was a close one," Megan said, relieved. "Amir told me about Michelle and what she was all about. She saved their lives."

"Yes, and you were right about Erik just wanting to protect me. I understand now why he was so close to her, but why didn't Amir distance himself from you the way Erik did with me?

"I asked him about that, and he said it was because Erik said he wanted to help Michelle himself. Amir helped a little, but since she saved his life, Erik felt responsible for her. He pretty much saw her every day, kept tabs on her to make sure she was all right, whereas Amir stayed out of it. If anything had happened, it would have happened to them."

Christine quietly shook her head. It was like an awful political thriller. She had another thought. "Did Amir ever explain to you why he helped Erik get away in the first place?"

Megan thought back. "I think so. He didn't say it in so many words, but I think that's what he meant when he said that people like Erik were God's gift to the world."

Christine nodded and sipped her iced tea.

_

* * *

_

_Wednesday evening_

EDupont: Good evening, my love.

AriaMaven: Good evening, sweetheart.

EDupont: How are your finals coming?

AriaMaven: Almost over, thank God!

EDupont: And then you will be here with me at the Phil!

AriaMaven: Yes! I can hardly wait!

EDupont: Nor can I, my love. I am very excited. I'm sure Amir is excited as well to work with Megan.

AriaMaven: I can hardly believe it. It's like a dream come true.

EDupont: Yes, for me as well, my darling. You make me so happy, Christine.

AriaMaven: And you make me so happy, baby.

EDupont: I miss you, darling. I can't tell you how much I've missed you.

AriaMaven: We'll get together again Saturday night.

EDupont: Yes. I can hardly wait. Till then, my love. Goodnight.

AriaMaven: Goodnight, love.

_

* * *

_

_Friday night_

This was her last night before graduation, so Christine decided she wanted to pamper herself. She drew a bath and dropped in a few lavender bath oil beads, dimmed the lights, and lit aromatherapy candles around the room. Pinecone came in and laid on the bathroom rug while Christine soaked in the fragrant water.

She closed her eyes as she laid back in the tub and thought back on the last year which she knew was the most wonderful year of her life. It was also the most eventful and drama-filled, but she wouldn't have traded it for the world. _We're the sum total of our experiences _she thought.

She remembered all the things that had happened, the good and the bad, and that it was a very circuitous route to realizing her dreams so far. She remembered the first time she'd ever laid eyes on Erik. It was at Gaston's, and she had just broken up with Rick who also worked at the Phil. And the next time she saw Erik was when he came into Madame Wu's. She would never forget her first impression of him as stood there examining their wares. She'd thought he was the handsomest man she'd ever seen.

She smiled as she thought back on these wonderful memories. And after weeks of instant messages, notes under the door, and roses on her doorstep, she finally met EDupont and Erik at the Bal Masque, receiving the surprise of her life. He'd taken her on so many wonderful dates, exposing her to a side of life she'd never imagined, even with Rick. And then the night he first made love to her…the most wonderful night of her life.

As wonderful as their early days had been, there were eventually problems, and she knew it was because of her own insecurity with his mask. And later, it was his insecurity over trusting her. Those were the darkest, most horrendous times, and she'd taken refuge in Roan's friendship while Erik had turned to Joanna, _the bitch. _It angered her to think of her even now.

Christine felt regret because she knew she'd used Roan then. She'd missed Erik terribly and had only wanted to be made love to, and she'd used Roan because she knew he'd be willing, and she'd eventually had to hurt him. But he'd pursued her ever since, and it was her fault. She regretted what her selfishness had wrought. She hoped it was over and that Roan would now forget about her.

She felt ready to leave the tub now and stood and reached for her towel. Pinecone was still lying on the bath rug, so Christine playfully allowed a few drops of water to fall on her head, waking her and causing her to shake her head vigorously.

Christine dried herself off and hung up her towel, walking into her bedroom naked. She went to her closet and set aside the dress she would wear for graduation alongside her gold cap and gown. The women would all be wearing gold gowns and the men would wear blue for their school colors. In addition to her cap and gown, she would also wear two ribbons with medallions to signify special awards in singing, and she knew that Megan would also have two to signify awards in dance. It was a very high honor, and Christine wished her parents could be there to see her graduate.

She turned down the covers and slid into bed nude and Pinecone hopped up to be near her. Tomorrow was going to be an exciting day. The graduation ceremony would begin at one and would last about an hour with a number of speakers. Because of the number of graduates, in excess of 3,000, the graduates would all rise in their seats together and transfer their tassels from the left side of their caps to the right, signifying their graduation status. After that, the audience would be excused and the next hour would probably be spent getting together with friends and relatives for pictures and goodbyes.

Despite all this, the only thing she wanted for tomorrow was to be with Erik again. Although they'd spent last night together, they hadn't made love. It had been late and she'd been tired, and in the morning Erik had arisen before she did. She couldn't wait to make love with him again for she had missed it greatly. She touched herself and felt her wetness. She'd masturbated often over the last several weeks out of necessity, and could stand to do so now, but she wanted to wait until they were back together again tomorrow night.

She turned over and lay on her stomach. She didn't want to give in to temptation before seeing Erik, and in a few minutes, she was asleep.

_

* * *

_

_Saturday afternoon_

The graduation ceremony began promptly at 1:00. Christine and Megan sat together in the sixth row as the President of the Garnier Music Conservatory welcomed everyone. Guest speakers were invited to speak in turn, and they included the mayor, Dr. Amir Khan for the San Francisco Philharmonic, Antoine de Chagney of de Chagney Industries, and other distinguished guests.

"I wonder if Erik's here?" Christine asked. "I don't see him anywhere."

"He wouldn't miss this for the world. I guarantee you he's around," Megan reassured.

During the last fifteen minutes of the ceremony, the president announced, "Would the graduating class please stand."

A vast sea of gold and blue rose solemnly to their feet, and then all was silent.

"You may now transfer your tassels to the right side of your caps, indicating that you are now graduates of the Garnier Music Conservatory."

There was a rustle of gowns and the moving of tassels, and then the president invited them to be seated. He spoke for ten more minutes, imparting advice and good luck before concluding the ceremony. "Congratulations, graduates!" he said loudly.

There was then a loud cheer from the graduates and a great number of blue and gold caps tossed into the air as a final tribute to their school. Christine and Megan kept their caps on, but they hugged each other tightly and smiled as everyone began to file out.

They spoke to a number of friends and teachers as they mingled and milled about, and Christine was surprised and pleased to see Rick, who greeted her warmly and explained that he'd come to see his father give his speech. They eventually met up with Madame Gerard, who greeted them happily with hugs and kisses and took pictures of both of them. Christine was warmed by seeing Madame Gerard so happy for Megan, and gladly snapped a picture of them together. Amir eventually joined them and he hugged Megan affectionately and gave her a kiss, as well as Christine, and Madame Gerard took pictures of everyone.

Christine loved the happy scene, but as she watched, she quickly realized that she was an outsider because Amir and Madame Gerard were both there for Megan. Without Erik, she really had no one to share in her joy with her. She wished more than ever that her parents could have been there with her.

She went up to Megan and whispered, "I'm going to go home now, sweetie. I'll talk to you later," and she hurried away before anyone could stop her.

She walked quickly through the crowd, and everywhere she saw couples and families smiling and taking pictures, singly and in groups. Happy, smiling faces everywhere... She hated that their happiness made her so miserable, and she could feel her eyes watering, and then tears falling.

She was almost out of the throng of people in the courtyard when someone suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her to them.

It was Erik, and he pulled her to him in a warm, protective hug as she began to cry softly. He held her tightly to him, and she welcomed him into her heart as her tears fell. The sounds of people talking, laughing, and all movement faded away, until it was only she and Erik…

* * *

From the outskirts of the crowd, Rick de Chagney had met up with his father and spoken to him, and was now ready to leave. He turned to his friend and indicated that he was ready to go. Roan nodded and walked with Rick out of the courtyard, turning away from the scene between Erik and Christine.

* * *

_Saturday evening_

Christine took a nap when she returned home from the graduation and it was exactly what she needed. She'd been so glad to see Erik when she did, and he seemed to understand why she was crying without even asking. He apologized for not being there to see her sooner, but the mayor had accosted him on his way and he'd had to talk to him. Amir and Megan had come over to them shortly after to make sure she was all right when she had run away from them, and it turned out that the four of them were going to be getting together tonight for a double date.

She was putting the finishing touches of her lipstick on when there was a knock at the door, and when she opened it, she saw Erik looking gorgeous as always in a black tailor-made suit with a steel-gray shirt and matching tie with a silver tie pin. She smiled broadly as she opened the door to welcome him in.

"You look beautiful, darling," he said smoothly, and he kissed her gently. "Is your bag ready?"

"Yes, it's right here." But before she went to retrieve her things, Christine wrapped her arms around him tightly and held on.

"What is it, darling? Are you all right?" he asked.

Christine closed her eyes. "Yes," she whispered. "I'm fine. I'm just so thankful."

"I love you, cherie."

"I love you, too." She looked up and kissed him before she retrieved her evening bag and wrap. Erik picked up her overnight bag and they headed down to the car.

It was a beautiful evening, and the stars were visible against the night sky. The night air felt wonderful and crisp and everything looked wonderful, but Christine thought it was strange and even scary to be out of school. She would have no more homework to turn in and she was no longer obligated to go to classes when it was all she'd done for sixteen years. She was still in disbelief about being given the opportunity to work at the Phil and thanked her lucky stars that she wouldn't have to pound the pavement like most of the other graduates hoping to be hired _anywhere_ in a performance capacity. And for this, she thanked God and her parents.

Christine saw that they were headed downtown near the shopping district, and in a few minutes they parked in a convenient parking structure adjacent to numerous businesses and restaurants.

They took an elevator down to the ground level and walked two doors down to a beautiful restaurant that Christine had never seen before: The Illuminati.


	89. Tenacity

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers and thank you to my friend and editor, Terri.

Chapter 89

Tenacity

_Saturday evening, Illuminati_

When they walked in, Christine thought it was the darkest restaurant she'd ever been in. And indeed, though the dining area and bar were filled, the only lighting came from intermittent panels throughout the room. Each panel was etched with an ancient elongated symbol of a secret society, and through the symbol came enough illumination through a colored filter to light the tables.

Christine was intrigued by this and by the décor of the room. The floor was dark wood, but in the dim lighting appeared black, as did the walls. There were cozy elevated booths, tables throughout, and also several tables in sunken pits. She loved it.

Erik spoke to the hostess and she led them to a comfortable booth where Amir and Megan already sat and they greeted one another warmly.

Soon, a champagne bucket was served on their table, which Amir had ordered earlier. Erik and Amir drank a toast to the new graduates and newest members of the San Francisco Philharmonic. Christine beamed and gave Erik a kiss, and Megan did likewise with Amir. After a few minutes, the men excused themselves to get drinks from the bar while the ladies chatted.

Christine and Megan watched as their men walked between the tables to the bar, and noticed the attention they garnered as men and women alike stared at their combined attractiveness. Even from a distance Christine could feel Erik's amazing allure and sensual aura, and in the darkness of the dining room and bar, with his mask, she thought he looked like an incredible fantasy figure…too beautiful to be real. _I'm so lucky,_ she thought.

"Only a week to go now before they're at the Phil," Erik said softly. "You know Victoria's going to be a handful once Christine's on board. What will you do with her?"

"Other opera houses have been after her for years. I'll just make sure she realizes she's gone as far as she can here, that she'd most likely have greater opportunities elsewhere. I think she'll be gone before mid-season."

"And what's the story with Joanna? How's she doing now?"

"She's doing very well. I think de Chagney's a good influence on her. It'll be interesting to see if she stays once her year is up."

"I think this is going to be our best season yet."

"I agree."

They ordered the drinks for their table and brought them back, vodka martinis for them and French martinis for the ladies. They turned their attention to their menus, which were large and tasseled, and the design on its cover was decidedly medieval. When Christine opened her menu, she felt her mouth begin to water as she looked over the selections. She was usually very sure of what she wanted at a restaurant, but this was the first time she could have ordered any number of entrees. She and Erik finally to order Dante's seared ahi tuna while Megan and Amir decided on Elihu's cracked pepper fillet mignon

The last page of the menu featured pictures and explanations of the various symbols of the secret societies that were on the panels throughout the dining room and they enjoyed reading and discussing these until their dinners were served.

Dinner was wonderful and relaxed and they all chatted and laughed amiably. When they arrived at the dessert menu, the house specialty was a $250 award-winning creation called "Persiphone's Indulgence." Christine and Megan balked at the price, but Erik and Amir ordered one for each of them as a graduation treat and they were amazed when they were served the beautiful towers of formed vanilla bean ice cream and crystalized sugar decorated with edible gold leaf, rare bittersweet chocolate chunks, frosted berries, and edible gold dust sprinkled over all.

Erik scooped some into his spoon and held it up before Christine's lips. She thought it was delicious, and although the gold leaf didn't impart any flavor, it definitely heightened her feelings of decadence. Erik smiled when he noticed flecks of gold dust around her lips and he gently licked and kissed it off.

Christine loved when he did that, and it felt so erotic that she couldn't help her unseen but definitely felt reactions.

Amir watched as Erik kissed and licked her lips, and he felt such gladness in his heart that his closest friend had found happiness at last. Megan also watched, happy for Christine, and she smiled. And when she turned, Amir caught her lips in a wonderfully sweet kiss…

* * *

They left the restaurant about two hours later and walked back to their cars in the parking structure. They left one another amid hugs and kisses and Amir took Megan home to his apartment and Erik left with Christine. 

They drove silently for several minutes. Erik felt very tranquil and happy. It was very enjoyable having dinner with his closest friends, and he felt exceptionally close to Christine tonight. They were closer than they'd ever been, and he wondered if she noticed this as well.

"Did you enjoy dinner?" he asked as they drove towards the Phil.

"Yes, I thought it was incredible," she smiled. "The food was wonderful, and I just loved the décor."

"I'm glad, cherie." He took her hand. "You've got a week before you start at the Phil. Any plans on what you're going to do before then?"

"No, I've been too busy to think about it. But now I've got a whole week with absolutely nothing to do. I love it!"

He smiled at her enthusiasm. "Well, perhaps we'll be able to find something to do during your free time."

They arrived at the Phil and parked in the car condo before making their way up to the apartment.

They walked to the bedroom where Erik set down the overnight bag. Christine slipped off her shoes and removed her earrings, placing them on the dresser, when Erik wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Did I tell you how beautiful you looked tonight?" he murmured.

Christine turned around and smiled. "As a matter of fact, you did. But you can tell me again if you like. I won't mind."

"You're so beautiful," he whispered before he kissed her.

He held her tightly and she felt him feel the contours of her back and hips. She melted into his kiss and felt him unzip her dress and remove it from her shoulders before it dropped at her feet. He unhooked her bra and removed it, and then placed a hand into her panties, squeezing her butt and then pulling her panties off.

He saw their reflection in the mirror above the dresser, his arms around her naked back, his hand squeezing her cheek. _So beautiful…_ he thought. They looked so perfect together. There was something highly erotic about seeing his reflection, fully clothed, holding her naked. But when he saw his face in the mirror, he closed his eyes. _Can she truly accept my face? Will she stop loving me because of it? _He felt a dull pain in his heart again. _Could I lose her because of it? _He released her then and pulled back, and Christine looked at him curiously.

"What's the matter, love?" she asked.

"Nothing. Why don't you unpack, and I'll meet you back at the bed."

He released her then and she watched him walk to his walk-in closet as he removed his jacket and tie. She wondered if he was all right, but then decided to put her clothes in the dresser drawer and get her toiletries out to put in the bathroom.

Erik hung up his jacket and tie and began to undress. It'd been months since Christine had brought up anything about the mask. He remembered thinking once that if she couldn't accept him _with_ the mask, then she wouldn't be able to accept him without it. _But she _has_ accepted you with the mask, _his conscience chided. _She's the way you've always wanted. So now what will you do? Will you take it off for her? Will you trust her?_

When he realized he'd been standing motionless in the closet for several minutes pondering this, he removed his belt and unbuttoned his shirt. He finally undressed and placed his jewelry in the wooden caddy atop his cabinet. _Do you think she'd give herself to you completely in spite of the mask? What do you think? _his conscience mocked before he walked back to the bed.

"What were you doing, love? I was about to come looking for you," Christine smiled as he climbed into bed.

"Just thinking…about the new season."

She propped herself up on an elbow and looked at him. "You know, I thought I was a bad liar, but you're not so bad yourself."

He turned and looked at her blankly. "Is that so? You know, I don't think I got to eat very much of our dessert tonight, so I think I'll eat it now."

He turned to her quickly and began gnawing and nipping at her as she screamed and giggled, trying to get away. He pinned her down until he was between her legs and then began feasting upon her, relishing her taste. She loved the feel of his sensuous tongue working her clit…it was even better than oysters. Her legs were propped upon his shoulders when he began to tease her even lower…

"Darling?..."

"Hmm?…"

"What do you think about anal sex?"

She stopped wiggling. "What?"

"Anal sex. What do you think about it?"

She thought about it quickly, what she'd heard or read, and she knew she'd never even talked about it with anyone. "Um, I've never thought about it before. Why?"

"Would you be open to trying it?"

"Um, will it hurt?"

"Until you get used to it, yes, it will hurt."

"Is it important to you?" she asked. She really wasn't sure she wanted to go there.

"Well, it would be another way for me to make love to you; something else to add to our repertoire. But only if you are willing, my love."

"Have you done this before?"

"When I was in Iran."

"And you liked it?"

"I did."

Christine thought about it. _It's going to be painful. How much pain would I be willing to endure for him?_ _Do I love him enough to do this? Will this prove to him once and for all that I'm his alone?_

"Yes, I'll do it. I'll do it because I love you, and I trust you. And if it's what you enjoy, I want you to enjoy it with me and not with anyone else."

"Thank you," he smiled. "I'll try to make this as easy as possible for you."

He had her lay on her stomach and doubled a pillow under her hips. He opened a nightstand drawer and removed a clear plastic bottle of something. She heard him flip open the cap, and then she felt it. He was pouring something between her cheeks and rubbing it in until she was slick with some type of lubricant. She heard the cap snap shut before he replaced it in the drawer.

He lay atop her now, and she felt him place his member against her butt, where it slid smoothly between her cheeks. He pushed slightly against her, but her tight muscle would not allow entry. He very gently pushed harder, and she gasped as the pain caught her by surprise. Her muscle was being stretched for the very first time and she could feel him move into her with exquisite slowness. The pain was intense. "Erik…it hurts..." she gasped.

"Try to relax, darling. It'll make it easier," he whispered next to her ear.

She tried to relax, but it was almost impossible. She didn't know how much she could stand of this as he continued his slow progress. She was perspiring and gasping as she gripped the sheets tightly. "Erik…"

"Tell me if you want me to stop, my love," he said softly.

She wanted very much to stop, yet she couldn't. If this is what it took to prove to him that she was his, _then let him have me! _she thought desperately.

_"No…don't stop,"_ she gasped painfully.

But suddenly, he did stop. He was inside of her up to the hilt, and he'd begun to pump very slowly, in and out. She'd begun whimpering from the pain and her grip on the sheets tightened. Her eyes were tightly shut…but suddenly, she began to feel something unexpected. He was pumping slowly, but she began to pump back, each fall of his shaft met by the up-thrust of her butt until there was a sensuous rhythm which she could feel had started a familiar tingling…

He thrust faster now, met each time by her own, and she could hear his labored breathing. Her tingling accelerated until there was a white-hot explosion as every muscle tightened and she screamed as she spasmed. Erik's body stiffened as his own orgasm struck, and she heard his groans as he forcefully emptied himself into her. It lasted for several endless seconds and was the most intense orgasm she'd ever had, and she was exhausted.

Erik gently pulled out of her, his breathing ragged, and he fell onto his back next to her. "Are you all right, my love?" he breathed.

She looked over at him tiredly. "God, that was incredible. Will it always hurt like that?"

"No, not once you get used to it. Thank you, my love. Thank you," he whispered.

"Ohhhh, my butt hurts," she moaned.

Erik smiled. "It's just temporary, I promise."

"Easy for you to say," she grumbled.

Erik closed his eyes as he lay on his back. Everything was so wonderful now. She'd submitted herself to him completely, allowing herself to be taken by him anally. She was his, totally…

For the first time, he seriously thought about removing his mask. He'd never felt such a sense of love and trust for her until this moment, and he wondered if there would ever be a more perfect moment when she would be more accepting of him…

Christine moved closer and rested her head on his shoulder. She laid her hand on his chest and played with his chest hairs before moving on to his chin. She looked at him and rubbed it playfully, feeling a shadow of stubble, and smiled. "Do you think I can light a match on this?" she teased as she rubbed his chin.

He turned towards her. She then began to outline his lips with her finger, then began to play with them. He tried to bite her, but she was too fast for him and giggled. She moved up to his nose and tried to block his nostrils for a few seconds before allowing him to breath again. Then she played with one nostril, trying to make it larger. Erik eyed her steadily during her harassment and wondered if this would be the price he'd have to pay for a piece of ass.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," she smiled.

She then began to run her finger along the edge of his mask and he stiffened instantly. He'd stopped moving, and he looked at her with something akin to, not fear, but…distrust…or wariness. She stopped immediately.

_Nothing's changed. It doesn't matter that I gave myself to him. No matter what I ever do, he'll never really trust me… _She withdrew her hand and then turned out the lamp on her side of the bed and laid her head down to go to sleep, her back to him.

Erik saw the hurt in her eyes when she withdrew her hand, and he knew why. She'd never intended to remove his mask, yet when she touched it, he was afraid she would. Why would he feel this way when he had just thought they'd never been closer? He was going to take it off until she'd touched it, but it was too late now, the moment gone.

Erik turned off his lamp and then placed his arm around Christine as was his practice, but this time, she didn't draw closer like she normally did. He knew he'd made a mistake, but he couldn't help it.

He buried his face in her hair and whispered, "I love you."

_

* * *

_

_Sunday morning_

They woke up slowly, and it was light by the time they opened their eyes.

"Good morning, my love." Erik wondered how Christine would react after their misunderstanding last night. He'd been upset after Christine had fallen asleep and he couldn't sleep, so he'd gone for a drive and returned home around two in the morning.

"Good morning, love," she replied sleepily. She drew close and rested her head on his shoulder. "I love you."

He closed his eyes and sighed in relief. "I love you, too."

"I think I'll take a shower," she said as she climbed out of bed, and she walked to the bathroom.

Erik decided to join her and stepped under the hot water with her. They lathered and scrubbed each other's back and were soon drying each other off. When they returned to the bedroom, Christine dressed quickly and began to pack her bag, emptying her dresser drawer and toiletries.

Erik saw her packing and immediately became concerned. "Christine, why are you packing, darling? Aren't you going to spend tonight with me?"

She momentarily looked up. "No, I think I need to go home now, but thank you for dinner last night."

"Well, let me make you some breakfast…"

"No, that's all right," she interrupted. "You don't have to. I just want to get home now."

"Christine…" _Not again…you can't leave me again. …_"please, let's talk about this before you go. I don't want you to leave me like this."

She looked at him. "I'm not leaving you, love. I'm just going home. We can talk about it tomorrow, okay? But I'd just like to go home and think about it by myself today. I'm not leaving you. I love you. Can you understand that?"

Erik looked at her uncertainly, his heart heavy. "Yes, I can understand that," he murmured, and he went to his closet to dress.

They were soon on their way to Chinatown and they drove all the way in silence. Erik parked in front of Madame Wu's and helped Christine with her suitcase as they ascended the stairs. When she opened her door, she turned to him and hugged him tightly. He kissed her, but she broke it off early and whispered, "We'll talk tomorrow, okay? I love you, baby." She entered her apartment then and closed the door.

Erik stood there awhile, not quite believing she'd left him so abruptly, before he finally walked downstairs to his car and drove away.

* * *

Christine carried her overnight bag to her bedroom and set it on the floor next to the dresser. Pinecone was in the middle of her bed and was looking at her through half-lidded eyes. Christine pushed her aside so she could lie down. It was just 8:00 in the morning and she could have used a bit more sleep, so she closed her eyes for a couple more hours.

* * *

When Erik returned to his apartment, it seemed cold without Christine's presence. Though her wind chimes still hung in the living room by the window and the topiary was still green and healthy in the niche between the living room and kitchen, she wasn't there with him. He wished he could bring her back. 

He knew this whole misunderstanding had to do with his mask again, only this time, it was different. He'd automatically reverted back to playing old tapes, fearing that Christine would reject him the moment she saw his face…just like every other woman in his life. Yet if she hadn't chosen that moment to play with his face, he'd been about to remove his mask and show her…

She said she would talk to him tomorrow, but she had to think about it today. He would also think about it. He loved her, and he would do whatever it took to make things right again between them...

_

* * *

_

_Sunday night_

She'd been hurt, terribly, by Erik's reaction to her touching his mask last night. By allowing him to take her anally, she'd given him everything she had to give, yet it still wasn't enough to convince him that he could trust her. It only proved to her that he would never trust her completely, no matter how long they were together.

So what did this mean for them now? Nothing, because she couldn't leave him. She knew she loved him more than she would ever love anyone in her entire life. She was trapped, yet she never wanted to leave. She would stay with him until she died…or until he no longer wanted her.

The only thing she had to do now was try to accept the fact that he would never completely trust her. That was why she needed this day to herself, so she could work through this on her own and truly come to accept it in her heart and mind. She closed her eyes and sighed. _I love you, Erik. With your mask or without it, I'll always love you, _she thought sadly.

She'd been sorting through her laundry and was now on her way downstairs to the laundry room. She normally did her laundry in the evenings mid-week since the laundry room was always busy on the weekends, but she'd been too busy with finals this last week. She carried her basket of laundry downstairs and figured she would need to use two machines, one for light colors and the other for dark.

When she reached the spacious laundry room, all four machines were empty and quiet. She sorted her clothes in two machines and poured in the detergent and softener and then counted out her quarters. She imagined how nice it would be to have her own washer and dryer someday and never again have to pay to do laundry…

She started the washers and left the laundry basket atop one of the machines as she returned upstairs to her apartment.

* * *

Mr. Lucky's wasn't his normal hang-out, but it was pleasant and far enough away from his own neighborhood that he didn't have to worry about running into anyone he knew. Roan wanted to be alone tonight to think about his life and where he was going with it. 

His father hadn't been upset when he'd told him about his dismissal from the Phil. They were actually close enough that he was even able to confide in him about his attempts to win over Christine, and was surprised when his father understood. From their conversation, he gathered that his parents might have gone through a similar situation in their own youth before they'd finally gotten married. In any event, it was suggested that it was time he joined his family's company, and Roan was grateful to his father for his support and continued encouragement. He could get on with his life and burn his bridges behind him…except for Christine.

He'd been shocked to find Erik at her apartment Friday. He didn't know what ever became of the brunette he'd seen Erik with at Paladin's, but it was apparently no longer a problem between them. And Christine had packed a suitcase, which meant she spent the night with him.

He set his glass down on the bar harder than he meant to, spilling some of his drink and causing a few of the patrons to glance over at him. He was angry. He'd never lost before.

He wasn't about to start now…


	90. Forever

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but The Phil is mine.

Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers, a special thank you to Musicallover for her inspired suggestions, and thank you to my friend and editor, Terri.

Chapter 90

Forever

_Sunday night_

Christine went downstairs to the laundry room to put her clothes and towels in the dryer. While she transferred them from the washer to the dryer, she thought about last night, about Erik's reaction to her touching his mask after she'd allowed him to take her anally. He'd watched her warily, mistrustful of her so near his mask even after she'd given him all she had to give, all she was.

She sighed and shook her head. She loved him with every fiber of her being and would never do anything to hurt him or cause him discomfort, but he was still fearful that she would somehow someday betray his trust. She would never be able to do anything to make him trust her.

This knowledge was like a stone in her heart…heavy and cold. She would love him forever with no restraint, but he would never give all of himself to her...ever.

She walked upstairs to her apartment and decided to call Megan. Perhaps Megan could see something in this that she'd missed. She picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Megan. It's me."

"Christine? Hi, how are you doing? Did you have a good time last night?"

"Yes, it was great. Um, I need to talk. Do you have a few minutes?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"I spent the night with Erik last night. Everything was great, and he asked me if I'd be willing to try anal sex because it's what he did in Iran. I went ahead and agreed because I thought it'd prove to him that I was completely his and that he could trust me, but later, when I touched his mask, he froze up. It was like nothing had changed. He thought I was going to take it off, but I wasn't. He wanted me to spend tonight with him, but I couldn't because I felt like I needed tonight by myself just to think about it."

"So what do you think you want to do?"

"Well, I don't think there's anything for me _to_ do but just try to accept it, because I know I love him and I know I don't want to live without him. I just need to learn to accept it. What do you think?"

Megan pondered this for a moment. "Well, if you know you don't want to be without him, then I think you're right to try to learn to live with it. Except…"

"Except what?"

"What bothers me about this is that Erik really does love you, just like you really love him."

"So why does that bother you?"

"Well, we're talking about love, and people in love all want the same thing and want to be able to give the same thing, talking about trust."

"But he _doesn't _trust me! He proved that last night!"

"Right, that's how he feels _right now. _But if he really loves you, and I know he does, he _will _trust you sooner or later. And dollars to donuts, I'll bet you anything that it'll be sooner rather than later."

"But, Megan, how can you be so sure?"

"Because we're talking about love! If you love someone and you know that person truly loves you, then how can you _not_ believe that they have your best interests at heart? How can you _not_ trust them? You proved to Erik that you trusted him by letting him take you anally, right? And you did this because you loved him and trusted him. One of these days, Christine, he'll prove to you that he loves you and trusts you the same way. Maybe it'll involve his mask, maybe it won't, but however he does it, you won't have any more doubt that he trusts you."

Christine thought about it, but still couldn't understand how Megan could make these assertions. It sounded more like wishful thinking than common sense.

"Megan, I have to go get my clothes out of the dryer now. Thanks for talking with me about this. I'm going to have to think about it. We'll talk again later, okay?"

"Okay, hon. We'll see you later. Bye."

Christine made her way down the stairs and to the laundry room. She checked to make sure everything was dried and then began to fold and then place them in her laundry basket. She thought about her conversation with Megan and her reasoning that Erik would soon prove his trust. _But Megan wasn't there, _she thought._ She didn't see Erik freeze up when I touched his mask. If he ever does trust me, it won't be for a very long time…_

"Rather late for laundry, isn't it? I do mine on the weekends."

Christine jumped and let out a small scream, surprised to see Roan standing in the doorway. "Roan! What are you doing here? You scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry," he grinned. "I checked your apartment, but you weren't up there, and I saw your car was still here, so I just thought I'd check in here. We didn't get to talk the other night."

Christine resumed folding her towels. "No, we didn't. What did you want to talk about?"

Roan walked into the laundry room and hopped up onto the counter so he could watch her. "You know, I don't understand you, Christine. Erik was with Joanna and you took him back. Then Erik's with that brunette and you take him back. I don't get it."

Christine glanced over at him. "You don't have to get it because it's none of your business. I chose Erik because I love him. That's all you need to know."

"Well, actually, it _is_ my business because I care about you. I've always cared about you, and I cared so much that Erik even broke my arm because of it."

"Erik broke your arm because you attacked him. Sounds like self-defense if you ask me."

"He broke my arm because I hurt his pride."

"And how did you hurt his pride?"

"He didn't like that I'd slept with you, and he didn't like that I had a prettier face."

Christine sighed. "There's that ego again…"

Roan's smirk faded. "Oh, but it's not ego; it's the absolute truth. Let me explain a few things to you…

* * *

It was late, but Erik wasn't sleepy. He'd tried working on a few scores today but hadn't been able to concentrate, so he spent time out on the patio planting some new flowers and trimming back some bushes. He thought about calling Amir over for a game of chess, but then decided not to; he was too distracted. 

He'd spent the greater part of the day and night thinking about the night before. He knew that what he'd felt last night was real. After Christine had given herself to him, he knew that she was his and his alone. He knew that she would never again give herself to another man, and he'd never felt more love or trust for her than he did at that moment. So what went wrong? Hadn't he wanted to show her his face at that moment anyway? He closed his eyes and shook his head.

Christine said she would talk to him tomorrow, but he didn't want to wait that long; he wanted to settle this tonight. For the first time, he wanted to show her his face. It was 11:00 p.m. He wondered if she was already asleep. He grabbed his keys and his jacket and went down the elevator to the car condo. He hopped in the Range Rover and made his way through late night traffic to Chinatown.

He was nervous and excited and scared. He knew it was the right thing to do. He would never again love anyone as much as he loved Christine. She gave him everything. Now, he would also give her everything.

* * *

"The first time you guys broke up, did he tell you that it was because he'd heard me talking about you on the phone? No? Well, he'd 'overheard' me talking to someone about you and me. But not to worry, I wasn't on the phone with anyone. I was just pretending." 

Christine stared at him. "Why would you do that?"

"It was a test. I wanted to see how much he really trusted you. Apparently he didn't trust you at all."

"How could you?" she whispered. "I wanted to die when he left me."

"Yes, I bet you did. But since he believed me instead of you, it just proved to me that he didn't deserve to be with you…that you should've been with me." He leaned on his hands as his eyes bored into her.

Christine shook her head in disbelief as she stared, her breathing shallow.

There were even times when he tried to leave notes at your door, and roses. But I'd intercept them to keep you from getting confused. I even spoke to him on the computer once when he tried to IM you. He thought I was you." He smirked at the memory. "It was fun being you."

Christine was shocked and speechless.

Roan hopped off the table and approached her. "I love you, Christine. I've loved you for a long time, and I've done a lot for you…even got my arm broken." He reached out and stroked her face with the backs of his fingers. "I love you."

Snapping out of her shock, Christine slapped him visciously. "_YOU MONSTER__! How could you!" _

He stepped back, shocked, and then grabbed her, pinning her to the wall. "I can because I _care_, Christine! Apparently more than Erik, but you just don't get it, do you? _DO YOU?"_

Without warning, his lips were suddenly on hers, pressed against her despite her futile struggles. _"Roan! Stop! STOP! I don't love you!"_

"_You're mine, Christine,"_ he murmured as he nuzzled her roughly. He grabbed her breasts and again assaulted her lips when he was suddenly wrenched away. Roan caught himself on the opposite wall as he glared at the intruder.

Erik moved Christine protectively behind him, then slowly approached, looking murderous. Dressed in black, he spoke now with an eerie calm that reminded Roan of a coiled snake. "You don't seem to understand, Richards, she doesn't want you. And if you so much as touch her again, I swear I'll do more than just break your arm."

Roan slowly straightened against the wall. "Go ahead, beat me up. Show Christine what kind of 'man' you are. Real men don't need to resort to violence, Dupont, they settle with words." He saw Erik smile then, a frightful smirk that made him cringe, unconsciously preparing him for fight or flight.

"What would you know of 'real men,' Richards?"

"More than you would, Dupont, because you're always holed up in your apartment. You've fucked a number of women, but don't think it was because they cared anything about you. They pitied you because of your face, because you had to wear a mask, and they no doubt thought they could get something from you for their time."

"Roan, stop it!" Christine cried, stepping forward, but Erik held her back.

"After everything you've done, do you think you look any better to Christine?" Erik asked. "Do you think she'll ever respect you again?"

Roan forced himself to appear calm. "She doesn't have to respect me," he said, glancing quickly over at her. "She just has to know that I'm right, and I've always been right about you, Dupont. She knows that."

"I think she knows enough to stay away from you, Richards. "You've been a liar from the very beginning."

"This is ridiculous." He pushed himself away from the wall. "Christine, I can't believe you're letting him manipulate you like this. Wake up!" He stepped around Erik and grabbed her arm. But in a flash, Erik grabbed him and pinned him to the wall.

"I made myself very clear, Richards," he said dangerously, pressing against him, "and I do not take defiance lightly."

Roan struggled, but Erik was too strong. His grip was like steel. "What are you, some kind of maniac?" he cried.

"Just tempt me," he whispered close to his face.

"Erik..." Christine sounded afraid. "Please, let's just go. I don't want you to hurt him; he's not worth it. Let's just walk away. Please, Erik."

There was a moment of hesitation before Erik loosened his grip and let him go. He didn't want to, but it was done. He was about to turn away when Roan suddenly reached out and ripped the mask off his face. For several seconds, everything was silent.

Erik stood motionless and stared at the mask still in Roan's hand. He looked at Roan, and then at Christine.

It took a moment for Christine to take in Erik's deformity, and then she saw everything. His face was deformed, but it was bad…very bad. Sunken areas that had never formed, skin stretched over bone, faded scar tissue from failed surgeries... Roan was suddenly speaking loudly to her.

"So you think _I'm_ the monster, Christine? Look at him!Look at his face and see what you've been fucking! You've been fucking a monster, Christine! Is that what you want? _IS IT?"_

Erik couldn't move for his shock as he watched her. She was staring at him, the horror evident in her eyes. She was speechless, rooted to the spot. He'd seen this very thing before…in Catherine, and Sarah…

Roan was laughing; this was all very funny to him. He could reason the obvious to her now and there could only be one outcome. He would win…yes, he would win. "Answer me, Christine! Is this what you want making love to you, what you'd have to face ever night? Do you want your children looking like _him?" _And he laughed all the more.

Erik couldn't look away as Christine continued to stare. His heart was breaking and was now bleeding. A tear fell from his eye, and then another. She couldn't have known it would be this bad. Roan had destroyed him at last…

He could still hear Roan's laughter in his ears even as Christine slowly approached. She saw his tears and she looked at him for a long moment, seeing his deformity close up. But then, she reached out and caressed his face. Erik turned away, but she turned his face back.

"Don't ever turn away from me," she said softly. "You have nothing to hide from me." And then she brought her lips to his, pressing against them gently, then more firmly, her hand upon his deformed face. The laughter stopped suddenly and there was blessed silence as they held each other.

Christine held him close and then turned to Roan. "I love this man," she said coldly, "and he's not the monster. You've shown me what you are, Roan, and _you're_ the monster!" She stepped forward and ripped the mask from his hand. "I've made my choice. Now leave us alone."

Roan was shocked, and he looked at them now as though Erik were a freak and Christine had lost her mind. He shook his head in disbelief, trying to find his voice, and finally said the only thing he could think of.

"Sick bitch."

Christine smirked. "Well, at least I'm not _your_ bitch."

His eyes widened, and with a final glance at Erik, he strode out of the laundry room.

Erik gazed at Christine, still unable to believe what she'd done. He took the mask from her, but before he could put it on, Christine kissed his lips, and then kissed the deformed side of his face. He looked at her, seeing kindness and total acceptance in her eyes, and he held her close. He felt such love that he could have died and been happy just to know it at last…

"I'll kiss you again if you help me take my laundry upstairs," Christine said softly.

Erik looked at her in surprise and smiled, and Christine giggled as she handed him her laundry basket. He replaced his mask and they made their way up the stairs to her apartment.

When Christine opened her door, Erik carried the laundry basket inside, but then turned and asked with a smile, "Then does this mean that you're _my _bitch?"

That was when Christine jumped on him, causing him to drop the basket and all its contents…

_

* * *

Monday morning, Erik's_

He didn't open his eyes when he first awoke. Last night had been wonderful, but he hoped it had been more than just a wonderful dream. Christine had insisted that he not wear his mask to bed, so he hadn't. He lay there for awhile now wondering if he should put it on before getting up. Christine's acceptance of his appearance meant more to him than she could ever know, but surely she couldn't want him to be without his mask all the time when she was with him.

He expected her to be asleep when he finally opened his eyes, but she was already awake, and she was watching him with a smile on her face. He stared at her curiously.

"Good morning," she grinned.

"Good morning, love." He rubbed his eyes and yawned. "How long have you been up?"

"About ten minutes. Do you know how good you look when you're asleep?"

"How am I supposed to know that if I'm asleep?" he smiled. "Come on. Let's get up and I'll make you a special breakfast."

They took a leisurely shower and then began to dress, but when Christine saw that Erik was about to put on the mask, she stopped his hand. "You don't have to wear it when you're home with me, love," she murmured. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable making breakfast without it?"

He looked at her and then hugged her warmly. He'd been so accustomed to wearing it all these years that he'd gotten used to always having it on, even when he slept. He'd never been without it even when he was home alone, and this was to preclude anyone from accidentally seeing him without it. It would be a new experience not to wear it, but he found himself looking forward to being comfortable in his own home without it. He smiled at her as he placed the mask on the dresser, and they walked to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Christine sat at the counter and watched while Erik gathered his supplies from the pantry and fridge. She felt happy and relaxed, and watching Erik make breakfast this morning without his mask confirmed what she'd always known…that with his mask or without it, he was the love of her life.

Breakfast was ready in half an hour. Christine set the table with china, silver, and cloth napkins while Erik placed the food on the table, and everything looked wonderful. He'd prepared orange blossom French toast, his special frittata, sliced melon, and then poured some juice.

Christine loved the French toast and closed her eyes as she ate it, a smile playing about her lips.

Erik was pleased she enjoyed it so much. "Good?"

"Mmm, it's wonderful," she said happily between mouthfuls. She sipped her juice and had a thought. "Erik?"

"Hmm?"

"What made you come over last night?"

"I needed to talk to you and it couldn't wait."

"What did you need to talk about?"

"About my mask. I was going to take it off."

He was going to show her his face even if Roan hadn't been there. Everything would have worked out anyway for he had come to trust her just as Megan said he would. Christine felt a warmth in her heart and she smiled at him while taking another bite of her frittata.

Seeing the love in her eyes, the love that had always been there but which he'd been too afraid to see for so long, Erik made a decision. "Cherie?"

"Yes, love?"

"I'm going to share a couple secrets with you."

"Secrets? What kind of secrets?" Christine stared at him, her fork suspended halfway to her mouth. The secrets Erik shared with her were never small.

"They're about me. I want you to know because I love you…and I trust you."

There, he'd said it. Christine involuntarily smiled and she felt the last barrier between them fall. There were no more secrets between them now, and it had come when the mask no longer mattered. "All right. I'm listening."

"I wrote _An Overture for Mankind." _When Christine didn't say anything, he wondered why. "What are you thinking, cherie?"

Christine was still finishing her breakfast, but she was eating much slower now, and she looked away as she took in this information. "I'm surprised, but not surprised," she said finally. "I can't believe it was you all this time…the unknown genius who's changing the face of music in our lifetime. And I'm in love with him!"

Erik smiled. "You inspired it, cherie. And I also designed the Phil."

Christine stilled as she thought about the day Erik showed her the image on the façade of the Phil. She'd thought then that the architect had to have been a genius to carve minute niches in the face of the building, but which could be seen as a whole only under certain conditions, and all without the aid of a computer…much like his paintings which were on display at the MOCA. But now a thought occurred to her that she'd wondered about for months. "Erik, the image of the man on the façade of the building that day you showed it to me…"

"Yes, my love, it's me. Or at least what I would look like if both sides of my face looked the same."

"Oh my god," she whispered, the awe evident in her voice.

They finished breakfast and took their dishes to the sink. "What say we go out to the island again Wednesday?" Erik asked. "Once you start working, you won't have a lot of time on your hands."

They made quick work of the dishes before going out on the patio. They gazed over the wall towards the Bay and saw boats making their way slowly out to sea. Erik recalled the fortune cookies he'd received from The Forbidden City: _You will find what you seek above all else. _And now he was here with Christine. There were no more secrets between them and nothing to stand in the way of their love. He thought back on the past several months and everything that had happened to try to keep them apart. He wrapped his arms around her now and whispered, "I love you, Christine." He knew he would love her forever.

She smiled and rested her head back on his shoulder. All her dreams were coming true, and Erik was by her side. She would soon be at the Phil with Megan. Her parents would have been so proud, but in her heart, she knew they were watching over her from where they were. She was happier now than she had ever been. "I love you, too," she replied.

The waters were a sparkling blue in San Francisco Bay and the sun felt warm on their faces. A slight breeze rustled the leaves of the trees and bushes on the patio, but they both knew that this would be a wonderful day for they would be together. The sound of the city coming alive in the morning was audible in the distance, and they saw a group of seagulls flying above the Bay towards the sea. The sky was a bright blue with a few cirrus clouds overhead, and it reminded them of their first time on the island together. It was good to be alive.

Le Fin.

Author's note: A sincere thank you to my readers and to all who reviewed. A special thank you to my editors, translators, and to Glaen Redeker for her poems. Since this is my first story, I would appreciate hearing your thoughts about The Phil. If you would like a personal reply, please e-mail me on AOL. Thank you again.


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